LUUNA MINE: Luxury Loungewear to Brighten Your Day
Ellen Lewis
By ESTELLE PULESTON
Looking to add a little brightness and whimsy to your downtime? Newly-launched LUUNA MINE may have just the thing. Based in Shanghai, the brand was founded by Jasmine Zou, a design graduate of China’s top fashion program. Although initially working in PR and marketing, her creative mind could not be stifled – “When I close my eyes, it feels like a kaleidoscope, with many beautiful patterns emerging before me,” she told me – and so she eventually decided to return to her original passion of designing.
A lifelong doodler, Zou has a knack for coming up with interesting patterns, color combinations, and designs, all forming the LUUNA MINE prints as well as its silhouettes. The brand was born out of what she describes as a dark period in her life, when she felt the need to create things that were intentionally fun and uplifting. Through LUUNA MINE, she hopes to convey that same sense of happiness to her customers – and it’s impossible not to smile when you see her Life Treasure collection’s cat print!
Inspired by her own pet cat, Orangecat is a cute visual pun: half orange, half curled-up cat, snoozing just the way he does on her pillow at night. It’s available on a silk pajama set, maxi nightgown, robe, scrunchie and eye mask, as well as two homeware items: a pillowcase and an adorable cat-shaped rug. “I love the atmosphere of a beautiful home. It is like a small world of our own,” says Zou, “When we wake up or come home every day, I hope LUUNA MINE can light up that day and night.”
Also in the debut collection is a range titled Magical Journey, inspired by her personal travel experiences. The prints here are based on the kind, friendly women Zou met in India’s Jaisalmer desert while they were walking to fetch water. Their figures are dotted subtly over the garments, this time carrying not water but moons and stars, and leaving trails of moon-shaped footprints in their wake.
The third and final range in the launch takes its inspiration from ancient traditional Chinese culture, specifically the mythical beast Pixiu which governs good fortune. “It has the body of a tiger and leopard, horns on its head, and wings on its sides,” Zou describes, “I designed it into a more modern image, so even if your home is not in the style of chinoiserie, it can still match well.”
Alongside the printed garments, there are also block-color ones and these are actually what I love most about LUUNA MINE. What they lack in eye-catching fabrics, they make up for in puffed-up ruffle hem and straps details. It’s a design detail that’s equal parts fun and luxurious, and honestly something I have never seen before on lingerie or loungewear. Matching puff-trim bags are available too – the perfect way to style your LUUNA MINE garments to take them from homewear to outerwear.Other enticing LUUNA MINE details include neat contrast piping, deep V backs with the tiniest rouleaux straps, and the embroidered crescent moons trimming both silk and linen pieces. This is a luxury brand with a lot of personality, and with a debut product range this intriguing, I can’t wait to see what else comes in future collections!
The LUUNA MINE website is currently under construction, but in the meantime, you can contact the designer directly for pricing/sizing information and to place an order.
