My Interview With bonzie

I am so excited to introduce bonzie! Her work is so stunning and a little gem on etsy.

bonzie's shop just shows what etsy can provide the world: unique and stunning peices work that are just waiting to be discovered.

Please you tell us about yourself and your back ground?

Im a 27 year old Irish lass with a passion for all things opulent, theatrical, antique! I grew up in Tipperary and spent my younger years in both a Dancing academy and a Marching Band. I grew an appreciation here for all things theatrical, and adored costumes, in fact I was the kid that used to scan the floor after each dance competition picking up the sequins and beads that fell off the dance costumes! I collected embellishments, I guesss it was inevitable that one day I would have to use them up in my designs! lolI graduated from The National College of Art and Design with an honours degree in Fashion and did a stint in both a corsetierre in Dublin and a fashion house in Paris, before settling down in Waterford, in the South of Ireland in my own design studio!

Can you tell us abit about your work and how did you start your etsy shop?

My work is an artful blend of romance, nostalgia, vintage with a hint of steampunk. I adore the opulence of the victorian era and also the decay that comes with something from times gone by! This adoration of all things antiquated bleeds into my work and most of my pieces look a lot older than my lifetime by the time I am finished distressing them to tattered perfection! I was keen to work on my label on my own terms and hated the thoughts of having to get something so personal and handfinished mass produced. I like that its very small and exclusive and for me etsy was the vehicle that would allow me to sell to a worldwide audience whilst still keeping my label small and a little bit special.

What usealy sparks off an idea?

This is always a tough one to answer as for me its not anything specific that inspires me. I am constantly thinking about the next project, I subconsciously pick up colour schemes or textures or shapes from my environment around me without even realising I am doing it! I do notice that sometimes I can be working on a piece and a combination I used somewhere and this might be used and further developed in the next piece! I guess this is how a label evolves over time.

Please tell us about your latest products.

My latest addition to my label are the Tattered Couture Neck Adornments! These are the next in the line of wearable art from my Bonzie label. Intricate embellishments frequently feature in my work and I guess I wanted to create something that was just about these collages of lace, beads, corsages etc. The Neck Adornments concentrate these embellishments into one space that the wearer can easily use over simpler garments already in their wardrobe for an instant couture aesthetic!