DESIGNER ON THE RISE: A FrontRowMag Q&A with…Teeny House Bunny
Accessories can make or break an outfit, and New York-based label Teeny House Bunny specializes in jewelry and hair accessories that are charming and feminine, yet still fashionable. In less than two years, designers Alexandra Wise, Dyana Nematallah and Robin Reetz have seen their Etsy hobby grow into a full-time career, complete with a profile on Style.com and business deals with the likes of Henri Bendel and Anthropologie. We went to designer Robin Reetz to find out the secret to their success.
FrontRowMag.com: How did Teeny House Bunny get started?
Teeny House Bunny: Teeny House Bunny started about a year and a half ago when my partners and I started making accessories just for fun. At the time, we all had full-time jobs in the fashion industry so it was really just something whenever we felt like it on the weekends—usually after a boozy brunch. About two months after we came up with the initial idea, Henri Bendel offered us a trunk show. Until that point, we’d just been playing around, but once Paris Hilton bought one of our pieces at that trunk show, we decided it was time to get serious.
FRM: What do you think was your big break?
THB: Shortly after the Bendel’s gig, we started to get orders from boutiques. But we were still taking things as they would come, until we received an order from Anthropologie.
FRM: Can you describe your design philosophy?
THB: All three of us have very different tastes when it comes to our personal style, but the one thing that bonds us is our interest and fascination with all things vintage. Our goal is to create pieces that have a vintage feel but are still modern enough, whether it be in style or color, that they can be incorporated it into an everyday outfit.
FRM: What do you think is the most challenging thing for young designers?
THB: The most challenging thing is probably the financial aspect. It’s very hard to go from nothing and make something, and we still struggle with that—starting and running a business takes a lot of time and money, and being so young has definitely made it much easier for us in some aspects and harder in others.
FRM: What advice would you give to aspiring fashion entrepreneurs?
THB: Get ready to work! You have to really, really want your line or business to be successful or it just won’t happen. It takes a ton of time and effort, plain and simple.
FRM: What is next for THB?
THB: We’re working on expanding our presence in the market which means jumping into the trade show circuit. We’re also going to introduce a small bridge line that will consist of more delicate, everyday pieces to compliment the more costume-oriented ones that currently make up the line.
For more information, visit teenyhousebunny.com.
