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)
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"
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!
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