Under the Surge of Blue: A Spring Fashion Editorial

We often think of springtime as a period of abundance, and after some record rainfall, Southern California is certainly exception to that, as evidenced by the "super blooms" that have been regularly attracting masses. The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, which is currently so saturated in golden California poppies that from afar appears almost wholly orange, was the location for our Spring editorial shoot, but it wasn't just the beautiful blooms themselves that inspired us. Photographer Joy Newell, stylist Jillian Cainghug, model Emmalee Inlow, and hair/makeup artist Danni Katz all contributed to a concept that was more about the awakening and rebirth that takes place during this time of year, an idea we always find best described by William Carlos Williams' poem, "Spring and All." Find his words below, followed by the photos which feature collections of local designers Bliss and Mischief, Botanica Workshop, Day Space Night, Jill Aiko Yee, Maria Dora, Désiréeklein, and Selva Negra.

"Spring and All"

By the road to the contagious hospital
under the surge of the blue
mottled clouds driven from the
northeast-a cold wind. Beyond, the
waste of broad, muddy fields
brown with dried weeds, standing and fallen

patches of standing water
the scattering of tall trees

All along the road the reddish
purplish, forked, upstanding, twiggy
stuff of bushes and small trees
with dead, brown leaves under them
leafless vines-

Lifeless in appearance, sluggish
dazed spring approaches-

They enter the new world naked,
cold, uncertain of all
save that they enter. All about them
the cold, familiar wind-

Now the grass, tomorrow
the stiff curl of wildcarrot leaf
One by one objects are defined-
It quickens: clarity, outline of leaf

But now the stark dignity of
entrance-Still, the profound change
has come upon them: rooted, they
grip down and begin to awaken