The Stylist Series
This label is for the savvy girl the IT girl the adventurous girl – the girl who likes accessorize and isn’t afraid to make a statement!
I caught up with Patrice the creative genius behind the label!
What inspired your move into fashion?
I have always been interested in fashion. When I was a teenager I attended sewing classes and then as a young adult, I enrolled in a BA course studying fashion design.
In my working adult life, I spent over 12 years publishing a fashion and lifestyle magazine but I decided I needed to change career paths and I ended up enrolling in London College of Fashion’s Handbag Design degree program.
Instantaneously, I fell in love with leather material. It was the leather that inspired me to created accessories. I haven’t looked back since then.
What is the ethos behind Bermuda?
The design ethos of the Bermuda Born label is simple. To make high quality, timeless products, and to make them incredibly well.
Who are your fashion icons?
I have never followed any one particular “it” girl or had a celebrity icon. However, growing up with my mom, she would have been my first icon. She wasn’t a huge ‘fashion person’ but she had a classic, feminine way about her which I admired.
When she went to work as a secretary, she used to wear bright red lipstick and heels to work every day. Her hair was always worn long and with loose luscious curls and her brows were perfection.
On the weekends, she transformed into a competitive golfer and so you’d usually find her in full golf attire. That sportswear translated into her casual look when she wasn’t on the golf course so I think that’s how I’ve come to fuse a sporty yet feminine look into my own style.
Describe your perfect day and night looks
I dress according to how I feel and the kind of day or night event it will be. If I go out shopping on the weekend, I would mix sportswear with a pair of jeans and colourful trainers or stylish flats. I like to feel relaxed but still look modern and pulled together.
I’ll always have my classic leather Bermuda Born Warwick tote with me as it is versatile and can hold everything. If I have a night out I prefer to wear a short black dress or a dress that is tailored.
The look I usually go for can be described as feminine and romantic. I’ll finish it off with statement earrings, a pair of heels and a clutch purse.
Who are your customers?
The kind of person that buys a Bermuda Born handbag is interested in function and style.
The women who carry Bermuda Born handbags are confident, they are entrepreneurs to professionals, and they are trailblazers who know what they want.
They need a product that can fit into their busy lifestyle all while making a statement.
What are your handbag essentials?
My handbag essentials: I have my Bermuda Born Warwick Tote bag that I wear almost every day to work. I always keep clutch purses for nights out or if I need to make a quick run to the grocery shop. I have very simple leather clutches to very elegant ones.
I also keep the cross body bag that I like to wear when I don’t need to carry my large tote. I wear the Bermuda Born Paget purse which is a classic style lady bag with short handles that I’d wear to a wedding or fancy dress event.
Who would you love to wear your pieces?
I would love for these well-known women to represent Bermuda Born. They are Michelle Obama, Catherine Zeta-Jones (who lives in Bermuda periodically), Beyonce, Gabrielle Union, Alicia Keyes, Meagan Good and Adele. These women all represent strength, success and class.
What is your perfect holiday destination?
My perfect holiday destination. I like places like Jamaica for the culture and food, adventurous road trips through Portugal, skiing the Alps in Spring, music festivals in the USA, and of course, my favourite would be on the pink sandy beaches of Bermuda or boating around the island with a rum punch in hand!
We love your use of colour – what new colours can we expect?
I wish to add more vibrant colours to the brand such as greens, purples, deep oranges, grey-blue, yellows.
Where do you see yourself and Bermuda in 5 years?
In 5 years, I’d like to have a full range of men’s leather goods and to have a separate sportswear-inspired line of bags for both men and women.
Written by: Taheed K.
https://www.houseofcoco.net/the-stylist-series-bermuda-interview/