Dentelles vol 4 Review

The latest issue of Dentelles shipped out quite a lot sooner than I had thought it would. So why keep you waiting, let’s do a quick review of it!

Dentelles issue 4 was a Kickstarter project. As far as I remember, issue 3, the only other one that I have, was a pre-order via a dedicated website, maybe even a regular purchase? I can’t remember, it has been a while back. However, I think that going with Kickstarter was a good choice. It ensured that the project would only go ahead if it was fully funded, without risking any losses for the organisers, as well as allowed for extras to be added. I went with the Lace Explorer tier, which was €12 (+ €10 for postage) and was the cheapest tier that included a printed version. Later on, as the Kickstarter gained more pledges, it also grew to include free prints from the issue and a wooden brooch.

I received a shipping notification on October 23rd and the order arrived on Halloween itself, October 31st. Considering the general situation around international postage and that this flew over from France (not far from the UK, but also not completely immune from delays), this was very reasonable. The order came in a plain bubble envelope, although the witch stamp on it was adorable! I don’t know whether French Post changed all of their stamps for the season or whether the Dentelles Team paid extra for cute stamps, but it was a lovely touch.

Ooky spooky stamps definitely make for a more fun parcel to receive.

Yaaay, contents!

Let’s start with the brooch. I believe the colours were assigned at random between this and a more blue-ish purple shade. The colours are beautifully vivid, they remind me a lot of wisteria and cherry blossom flowers in Japan when they’re in season. Although I think the colours on this brooch are more saturated, I think that the design would go perfectly with Angelic Pretty’s Sweet Lacy Basket or BtSSB’s Belle Harmonie ~ Melody of Resonating Wishes and Reunited Maidens ~ (JFC Baby…). Personally I think it would match my Flower Garden JSK and Repose of Queen OP best, but I’ve no doubts that it will go well with plenty of other pieces that I have. The pin itself is glued with hot glue, there were no loose glue strands. Like all hot glue, I don’t expect it to be particularly permanent, though at least it’s an easy fix should something happen.

Those flowers just look really fluffy to me? It's a beautiful design and I think I'll get more wear out of this one than the cooler blue-ish purple one.

There were 5 free prints included with the magazine in my Kickstarter tier, although as the fifth one is the same as the magazine cover, I did not include it here. All of them are also in the magazine, however, having a selection as separate prints is a nice touch. Art is subjective, so whilst these are all beautiful illustrations, some will be more to some people’s taste than others. The Dentelles team did a good job at selecting a range that would feel most appealing to the majority, in my opinion, and I would happily frame one or two of those. My only wish would be that the prints included the authors names or social media handles somewhere, as signatures in the corner or on the back, as otherwise the only ways to know who made these is to find them in the book and memorise them.

All of those were in the magazine as well. Can you guess which items they were trying to showcase?

And now the main event: the Dentelles magazine itself. Those who had any of the previous ones will have immediately noticed that this one is substantially thicker. Like, it is thicc®. In comparison to issue 3, it’s probably three times its size once you factor in the air between the pages. Which is great, all the more lolita goodness for us to enjoy and the more new artists to discover!

Thicc® 2k20.

Inside the issue is split into two sections: part 1 which sticks to the “Back to Basics” theme a bit more strictly and part 2 about iconic/well-known specific pieces. Just like with every Dentelles issue so far, it is bilingual, French and English, and beautifully diverse in the lolitas represented. Although part 1 focuses more on garments, offering lots of detailed illustrations, it also includes some photographs, for the first time in the magazine’s history, as far as I’m aware. Whereas part 2, where we see more lolitas themselves, showcases our community and its diversity, as well as the iconic pieces mentioned.

It's this and another page just for the index. We love things full of content!

Because the artwork featured in the magazine are original illustrations created specifically for the magazine, I won’t share much here. This feels unfair considering how Dentelles is a celebration of the talent within our community and only features new, original artwork. So the photos that I am featuring here are ones that I was able to see on the artist’s social media pages with links to their posts. You’ve already seen how thick the issue is, so this is merely a glimpse into the wonders contained on the pages of Dentelles.

Like this one, which is by @agathine.

Also like previous issues, the magazine offers more to look at than to read. The captions are better suited towards beginners and people unfamiliar with the fashion, providing bitesize information in a very accessible manner. There isn’t much to learn or new information if you’ve been in the fashion for more than a brief moment and know your way around the basics. However, the artwork is what attracts the oldtimers in the fashion to the magazine, offering not just something pretty to look at, but different takes on the fashion that we love. After all, illustrators portray the fashion differently to each other, every one of them has their own style and focuses on different things. So even if you’re not on the lookout for your next commission, these drawings allow us to appreciate the fashion on a different level and fall in love with the details in a different way. Illustrations also have the power to inspire, either to draw something or to try something new with our own coordinates, since the artists behind them don’t necessarily recreate outfits that they have worn or seen themselves, they are free to create something completely new or experiment in a safe environment through their art.

This one was also included in the preview that Fluffy Kawaii Jo did on her YouTube channel to promote the Kickstarter. Artwork by Evo (@angery_pencil).

By the time this review is up, the Dentelles shop will most likely be closed, after briefly opening post-Kickstarter with some ready-to-post items, including copies of the magazine (digital and physical). So if you have missed out and would love to get the next issue whenever it comes out, make sure to follow Dentelles on all of their social media (primarily Instagram and Facebook). Judging by the success of this Kickstarter, I would anticipate issue 5 to be on the cards at some point in the future, though as far as I know the magazine was never intended to be a regular publication. Still, whether you would like your artwork featured or simply to buy a copy for yourself, following Dentelles on social media is the best way to make sure that you don’t miss the updates.

As for me, I will definitely purchase the next issue whenever it may come out. If it’s a Kickstarter again, I may be swayed to back a higher tier next time, depending on the rewards, although I feel that the one that I got was perfect for me. All that I wanted was the magazine, so to have the prints and a brooch thanks to the generosity of the lolita community allowing for freebies to be unlocked was just a bonus. This issue has really brightened up the cold, dark autumn evenings and awakened some warm and fuzzy feelings in my heart regarding the lolita community. And I wish the Dentelles team that the community reciprocates by making them feel warm and fuzzy, and appreciated for the work that they’ve put in.