Dauphinette / FW24 Collection

The Vegetarian 

The name, for this collection was derived from electronic pop duo 30H!3’s hit 2008 single, DON’TTRUSTME:

You tell your boyfriend, if he says he’s got beef

That I’m a vegetarian and I ain’t fucking scared of him

In 2018, I called my new clothing brand “the Happiest Brand on Earth” in hopes that it would usher the minds of friends, editors, and customers towards some utopic heaven place rooted in vibrance, abundance, and feminine beauty. In one of the poems from Maragaret Atwood’s 1974 book titled You Are

Happy, she writes:
Last year I abstained
this year I devour
without guilt
which is also an art

Unsurprisingly I’ve found that the commercial pursuit of happiness is a rather abstinent practice. I’m a growing, sartorially starving girl, and I have to live up to my appetite. I’m equal parts whimsical and insatiable, ethereal and feral, kind-eyed and cold-blooded. I’m a practicing vegetarian in a ferociously carnal state of mind. The same part of my silly brain is obsessed with both Atwood and 30H!3’s depictions of appetite- I’m inspired by both’s commitment to guiltlessness and artistic perspective on shrugging it all off.

For all current purposes, this collection is a response to all that carnivorous lust: for a seat at the table, the satisfaction of feeling expert at something, the unsinkable feeling that my flowers are growing into something a little thornier. It’s built up of many things-over six hundred beetle wings, tens of thousands of strands of braided hair, faux prosciutto, pâté knives….the list goes on.

This collection is not about being the Happiest Brand on Earth, or about being a brand at all. It’s work that can be worn, but doesn’t have to be. Even after desperately seeking out the technical skills and know-how to make astute ready-to-wear, my favorite things are made on the floor of my apartment. I’m an artist practicing guiltlessness. I’m a vegetarian devouring the meat-lover’s special. I’m the monster hiding under your bed. For a moment, forget the Happiest Brand on Earth. Meet Bedroom Floor Couture.

BILL OF MATERIALS

All of our runway collections use at least 50% upcycled materials. Below is our Bill of Materials– a comprehensive list of all the environmentally responsible and the could-be-better materials used in each look.

LOOK 1: Coat from upcycled lambskin leather, vintage chandelier crystals, safety pins, and new and vintage rhinestone trims. Jeans from vintage denim, wig hair, and glass beads. Top from stainless steel chain. Resin-cast bust. Upcycled secondhand shoes embellished with glass eyes.

LOOK 2: Jacket from upcycled cow leather. Vest from upcycled wool yarn. Skirt from silk organza, safety pins, glass beads. Resin-cast bust. Upcycled secondhand shoes.

LOOK 3: Coat from reclaimed mohair coating embellished with jewel beetles. Top from stainless steel chain. Belt from upcycled vintage leather and buckle. Shorts from vintage denim embellished with glass rhinestones. Vintage bag embellished with jewel beetles, brass, glass rhinestones, vintage watch faces.

LOOK 4: Jacket from upcycled lambskin leather and vintage belts. Cotton underwear. Upcycled second hand shoes “shoe-polstered” in cashmere blend yarn. Glasses made from upcycled forks.

LOOK 5: Vintage upcycled mink fur coat embellished with new and vintage rhinestone trim and beads. Stainless steel chain top. Underwear from vintage upcycled chambray cotton. Bag from vintage volleyball and upcycled shearling. Upcycled secondhand shoes covered in vintage yo-yo quilt and glass rhinestones.

LOOK 6: Blazer from vintage wool coating embellished with vintage and new glass and plastic embellishments and deadstock cashmere coating bow. Silk charmeuse undergarments. Bag made from baguette bread, shark teeth, vintage jewelry, cruelty-free butterfly and moth wings.

LOOK 7: Cotton shirt. Hot pants made from leather and vintage cutlery. Upcycled secondhand boots adorned with upcycled glass and metal embellishments.

LOOK 8: Silk charmeuse, vintage spider brooch, upcycled metal and glass embellishments.

LOOK 9: Upcycled lambskin leather top. Skirt from deadstock cashmere coating, wig hair, new and upcycled rhinestone. Upcycled vintage shoes covered with stainless steel chains.

LOOK 10: Vintage upcycled leather, cotton, glass rhinestones, bag from Tomtex “faux-sciutto” bioleather, made from mushroom and shrimp shell waste, vintage pate knife, vintage brass belt buckle.

LOOK 11: Silk organza, safety pins, glass rhinestones, Tomtex “faiz-scuitto” bio leather made from mushroom and shrimp shell waste, vintage pate-knife, vintage brass belt buckle

LOOK 12: Dress from remnant velvet fabric covered in woven wig hair

LOOK 13: Lampshade dorset from cashmere coating embellished with wig hair, new and upcycled glass and plastic embellishments. Silk charmeuse undergarments. Upcycled secondhand shoes

LOOK 14: Velvet dress. Silk charmeuse undergarments. Upcycled secondhand shoes embellished with braided wig hair

LOOK 15: Upcycled cow leather, door hardwares, cotton, forks, glass eyes

LOOK 16: Upcycled rayon twill, pennies, upcycled leather, vintage cabinet hardware, vintage escutcheons, upcycled shearling, vintage brass belt buckle, shark teeth, glass rhinestones, various vintage beads and embellishments

LOOK 17: Dress from upcycled neckties. Bag made from leftover faux fur fabric from last season

LOOK 18: Upcycled wool and mink fur coat, vintage millinery flowers, vintage coque feathers, new and upcycled glass beads, and embellishments, vintage volleyball

LOOK 19: Top from upcycled curtain fabric. Underwear gown from silk-blend velvet leftover from Fall Winter 2022 collection

LOOK 20: Top from upcycled curtain fabric. Silk charmeuse bottoms, Vintage football bag adorned with vintage glass beads, upcycled shearling, brass

LOOK 21: Cotton, silk charmeuse

LOOK 22: Vintage nylon tulle, silk organza

LOOK 23: Cotton, velvet, upcycled goat fur shearling

LOOK 24: Dress from upcycled vintage kimono skills, brass claw rings, upcycled secondhand shoes

LOOK 25: Dress from vintage silk dupioni adorned with jewel beetles, upcycled secondhand shoes

LOOK 26: Dress from upcycled vintage kimono silks, upcycled secondhand shoes

LOOK 27: Silk charmeuse dress, upcycled secondhand shoes

LOOK 28: Dress from deadstock lime cashmere embellished in glass rhinestones, crushed harney, quartz, amethyst, and citrine. Silk charmeuse bra top. Upcycled secondhand shoes covered in glass rhinestones and crushed amethyst

LOOK 29: Coat from upcycled cashmere fiber coating, hand-embellished in vintage and new glass, acrylic, and vinyl beads, glass rhinestones, jewel beetle wings. Upcycled handbag topped with vintage mail slot. Upcycled secondhand boots covered in glass beads and various vintage embellishments

LOOK 30: Cape from upcycled cashmere fiber coating, hand-embellished in vintage and new glass acrylic, and vinyl beads, glass rhinestones and jewel beetle wings. Upcycled cotton denim shorts embellished in glass rhinestones. Upcycled secondhand boots embellished with glass rhinestones

CREDITS
COLLABORATORS: Tomtex, Andrea Bergart
PRODUCTION:  C.O’Neil Productions by Cathleen O’ Neil
PR: Lindsey Media
HAIR: Gary Baker and Unite
MAKEUP: Claire Perez and New York Makeup Academy
TALENT: Crawford Models
STYLING+ CASTING: Olivia Cheng and The Dauphinette Team
FOOTWEAR+ ACCESSORIES: The RealReal
HOISIERY: Les Belles
LINGERIE: Sevigne
MUSIC: Zara Black and Olivia Cheng
DAUPHINETTE TEAM:
Oliva Cheng, Kate Bailey, Ev Tschirhart
Joanna Ramirez, Grace Wang, Lena Blumberg, Anna Bolla, Kaeli Linton, Sydney Page, Lauren Salvia

Photo Credit: GoRunway