Gretchen Jones channels a mix of Patti Smith and Don Juan to create her own distinct vibe for spring ’12.

Having known Gretchen Jones for years and watching her climb her way up to where she currently stands is truly inspiring – and it’s a tale of how hard work pays off. That said, walking into her presentation was to witness Jones at a whole new level, away from Project Runway, away from her fashion foundation in Portland, Oregon, to the present moment, where the designer is fusing her supreme sense of styling, fantasy and music to give us her spring ’12 collection, Horses.

I caught up with Jones the day prior at Tour de Fashion’s “Borrow A Bike,” and she said of her collection: “Each one of my collections has something to do with music and literature. This time I grabbed from The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda and Patti Smith’s album, Horses. Both are all about searching for a higher truth,” says Jones.

“Plus I feel like I can bring a connection to the consumer when it comes to the creation process, bringing in music and literature that people love and can relate to” she says of her silk and silk cotton line made in New York City’s Garment District.

With a full house, models lined up for mug shots (their numbers called one by one), and the music of Nouveau Classical Project composed just for her presentation, Jones infused fashion week with something fresh and pretty yet authentically old school rocker, and yes, always that hint of fantasy we’ve come to know her for.

Images: Amy DuFault

More from the archives: Read Gretchen’s exclusive column for EcoSalon, EcoSalon at NYFW: Gretchen Jones’ Horses appeared first on EcoSalon.