Belle & Bunty

Article issues
COI = January 2008
orphan = January 2008

Belle & Bunty is a London based womenswear designer label, founded by Alice-Louise Shreeve and Hannah Coniam in April 2003. The label specializes in bright and vibrant designs.

History

Shreeve and Coniam met on their first day at the [http://www.arts.ac.uk/22211.htm London College of Fashion] in 1999, where both were studying for a BA (Hons) in Surface Textiles. Whilst still at college Alice was nominated for both the Graduate Fashion Week Textiles and Portfolio Awards, and has international design and manufacturing experience working for labels including Paul Smith, Pepe Jeans and ICU India. Meanwhile Hannah gained invaluable experience working with Tracey Boyd and has since acted as a consultant in the fields of womenswear, menswear, textiles and accessories design for major brands including GAP, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.

Graduating in 2002, the girls briefly designed for the high street before deciding to establish their own label. Taking their name from a combination of their childhood nicknames, Belle (Alice) and Bunty (Hannah) launched at [http://www.thedoll.org/onoff Doll's On/Off] schedule as part of [http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designers_details.asp?DesignerID=45 London Fashion Week] in 2003 to great success. They have since gained impressive media attention, featuring on the pages of "Vogue", "Elle", Victoria Beckham's "That Extra Half An Inch" and "Marie Claire" [ [http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/best/3075/1/7/10-best-neon.html Marie Claire, Top 10 Best Neon] ] amongst many others. In 2005, Alice received the [http://www.everywoman.co.uk/everywomanAwards/Winnersfinalists/Winnersfinalistsbiographies/ Everywoman Artemis Award] for most inspirational young businesswoman of the year, and in 2006 the designers were filmed for Channel 4 documentary [http://www.channel4learning.net/support/programmenotes/micro/trickybusiness2/prog3_activities.html Tricky Business] , which profiled the rise of their label.

In addition to their womenswear line, the duo have collaborated with Knomo to develop a limited edition collection of printed laptop bags sold exclusively at Harvey Nichols, and with Maltesers created a limited edition range of Wellington boots and umbrellas. They have also contributed their designs to charity; including the [http://fashioncapital.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8150&Itemid=47 Fashion is Art] exhibition in support of Help A London Child, and the [http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/17397.htm Dollar A Dress] foundation with BBC Panorama and Comic Relief. The girls are directors of Three’s Company (Creative Consultants) Ltd, a successful fashion consultancy that has catered to a number of international brands.

Since its launch Belle & Bunty has picked up a dedicated celebrity following including the likes of June Sarpong, [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml;jsessionid=C0SAFH3AQW1N1QFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/fashion/2006/04/18/efjunk15.xml Fashion Junkie: June Sarpong] ] Tamzin Outhwaite, Myleene Klass, Amanda Holden, Alexa Chung, Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters and Sophie Ellis Bextor, and a rapidly growing list of stockists both in the United Kingdom and worldwide.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.belleandbunty.co.uk Official Website]
* [http://www.threecoltd.com Three's Company (Creative Consultants) Ltd]
* [http://www.vogue.co.uk/shows/photos/Default.aspx?ShowID=5407 Belle & Bunty at Vogue.co.uk]
* [http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designers_details.asp?DesignerID=45 London Fashion week]