A Creative Victory: VVB

I love to connect with other women who share my interests and appreciation of fashion, creation and art in general. I am grateful, through technology to have been able to connect with fellow artisan and eBoutique owner Brande Wilkerson of Victory Vintage Boutique and Design Studio (or VVB). I have personally shopped  for Vintage via VVB for my own closet and am currently waiting on a fabulous Custom feather creation from her design studio to arrive! 

Vintage Hat SOLD

Creative individuals always inspire me and this includes Brande, a busy MOMpreneur with 2 girls and a budding creative business in Austin Arkansas. She is a happy, positive person who I am thrilled to feature. I'm all about one's creative evolution and over the past 3 years I have seen Brande's passion for Fashion's past evolve into this haute hybrid of Vintage, Re-styled, uniquely inspired pieces from full gowns to hair accessories.  She does a lot of her own artistic portraiture, modelling and photography too. She styles her images, does theatrical makeup and sets the scenes to bring her visions to life. She has an affinity for Vintage wedding gown re-inventions and by the look of her images some really amazing friends (models), though she primarily models her creations and Vintage wares. Shes a one woman show like I am and for that alone I have a ton of respect for her and the hours it takes to run a creative business and also be a good mother.

I asked her to tell me about the Evolution of her business. I wanted to know where she started and where she thinks she is heading ...

Brande explained to me, "My business Victory Vintage Boutique started in year 2000 when I inherited a group of amazing billowing chiffon peignoirs from my grandma. I was on the hunt for more like these and found them! I went looking for the things I loved and started selling some of them online and learned there was a market out there for beautiful vintage garments like the ones I loved. I started selling online that year and became a Powerseller within 9 months! I was selling and shipping amazing vintage dresses, accessories and party gowns around the world!"

In the last 2 years I have expanded to open my Etsy Design Studio which offers one of a kind hand made designs, gowns, headpieces and hats. Many made from discarded vintage millinery ,trims and vintage fabric remnants that came into my hands that were just too beautiful to toss. This was the birth of the VVB dream gowns line of altered vintage wedding gowns and headpieces. I look forward to growing and expanding my design work, and evolving my collections into unique wearable creations as inspiration come into my hands! The future for VVB is wide open!

I love that she pushes the boundaries and follows the vision that is uniquely HER's. She draws her inspiration from several sources. She told me, "Many factors inspire my designs. I am an art buff, and my mother is an art teacher so it has always been in my life & blood! Recently I have been hugely inspired by the Art Nouveau period of art history. Some of my favorite artists are Alphonse Mucha, Gasper Camps,Walter Crane and Georges de Feure. Their amazing work inspired the "Fine Art Inspired collection" of gowns & headpieces for VVB. I offer these creations in my Etsy Design Studio. We offer these pieces for rental for photo shoots as well."

Who is the VVB woman? Brande says, "The VVB woman is a creative and uninhibited creature! She is confident in expressing herself through creative style and glamorous fashion design! She is also not as interested in the trends as what inspires her and makes her unique!"

Her FAV piece from her most recent collection is the Huldah Headpiece ($225)

A floral, faux fur creation. 

Available HERE 

"I think its my favorite because of the vintage element with the fox fur stole that drapes the shoulders.The colors and earthy and flattering on everyone and the dramatic feel of this brings a magestic queenly feel when you wear it. The gown styled with with is also from our collection of altered vintage slip dresses. Its made with a ecru collar and embellished with trimmings from a vintage wedding veil"

Giant Pansy $195

The VVB 2 cents on Style: "Wear what best defines you! Trends are fun to embrace and try but only choose the ones you like and add your own twist to make it yours. Reinvent your style by your own definitions each season..that way YOU own the trends!"

The sky is really the limit for Brande and VVB. I'm excited to see where her creative inspiration will lead her next.

Are you a VVB Woman?

 What's your FAV piece from her collections?

Leave your comments below!

CONNECT with VVB:

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Etsy Design Studio

Web Site

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Courtney Bingham: Creatively Crafty

I am always on the hunt for tips and ideas to feed my naturally creative nature. I am totally enamored with women who juggle multiple creative ventures and business. I recently came across one budding business woman in Courtney Bingham! She is a creative DIYstress and designer in the swimwear industry. I know with my over crammed schedule I need to reach out for a fabulous one-stop-shop for creative tips and tricks and she is building her brand to help busy women like me. She also helps women take their beach look from the sand to the sidewalk with her line Cover-ups. They also do double-duty; you can cover or you can actually SWIM in them if you decided not to bare all on the beach.

Nikki Shoots Courtney's Fab Cover Up's

She is currently building her brand via her Website 

And a Video Series on her You Tube Channel

My FAV Video: How do create a chic bulletin board

I caught up with Courtney while she is travelling around the country with her rocker boyfriend, Bassist Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe (they are currently on TOUR with KISS)

LG: Where does your love for DIY come from? 

CB: Ever since I was a little girl I always loved doing arts and crafts. As I got older and moved out on my own and got my first apartment I didn't have a lot of furniture, curtains, pillows, etc. I couldn't afford to buy all of the things I wanted so I experimented and taught myself how to make things on my budget. Now when you go into my house everywhere you look you will see something I have made or covered in fabric from ottomans to lampshades. 

LG: What is your FAV DIY project(s) right now? 

CB: Experimenting with floral arrangements! Along my travels I love taking pictures of gorgeous over the top expensive flower arrangements, whether in hotels or restaurants. When I get home I try to recreate them for a fraction of the cost utilizing my local wholesale flower mart and then blog about them. I also love thinking up cool ways to make vases or boxes and pots to put the flowers in. 

LG: Are you starting a DIY Vlog (Video Blog)? or Video Series? How can my readers find all your amazing crafts & tips? 

CB: Right now I have just started posting how to tutorials on youtube, Courtney Bingham is the channel. I am trying to put up a new video once a week. I am currently in development for my own tv show, "The How 2 Girl" a 30 minute lesson on how to get the look you want for less.

LG: When and why did you start designing the cover up's? 

CB: I started making my own when I was 17. I brought a Brazilian bikini and I knew my mother wouldn't let me wear it so I sewed a cover-up out of swimwear material to try and hide it from her. I had to return the bikini to the store but I was left with a cute cover-up, I made more for myself but always knew I wanted to have my own line. I designed this new line in February 2012 and launched it online in July. 

LG: Who is the "Cover up's by Courtney" woman? 

CB: The Cover Up's by Courtney woman wants to feel comfortable and sexy at the same time. She loves going to the beach and the pool and is wants to feel confident. She is chic. She likes leaving things to the imagination. She buys staples for her wardrobe and is a trendsetter not a follower. She likes to stand out in a crowd. 

LG: If you had one piece of style advice as it pertains to beach gear (swimsuits & cover-ups) what would it be? 

CB: Accentuate what you've got. No one has "the perfect body" there is no such thing. Work with what you have, purchase a swimsuit that is the right cut and fit for your body type. For example, I love triangle bikini tops but they are not that flattering on me, so I always stick with bandeau tops. As for my bottoms, I am working on getting a fuller booty so I cheat and look for the cuts that accentuate it instead of making it look flat.

There is still time to ROCK a chic Cover Up by Courtney this summer, Use this EXCLUSIVE CODE: EV9002 and SAVE 15% through AUG 5th!

I don't know about you but I am excited to see what she will bring to the table AND to the beach next!

Connect with Courtney

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