from the inception of bright lights big pretty, we've had strongly forged in our minds the notion that this type of business is beneficial to the environment. it's an important aspect of what we do and why we do it: not only does the clothing we sell LOOK great, it's also serving a purpose in that we are by example encouraging others to reuse already created items. the impact is that we potentially help to reduce the number of new items required by any given customer. this is not only important with regard to the use of animal lives, raw materials and the release of toxic emissions, but also stands to improve the quality of life in so many cultures in which the people are criminally underpaid to work in terrible conditions toward the production of the "disposable", cheap clothing that so greatly fills our malls and super stores. we're committed to this cause; so committed that from now on 10% of the sales of each of our collections will go toward an environmental agency or nonprofit of our choosing. stay tuned for announcements on which agencies we ultimately support, and please, feel free to comment on any toward which you have a particular affinity. this is our world. let's keep it beautiful, one vintage outfit at a time.
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i don't consider them direct competition per se because my own focus is more tailored to a specific genre of items, but in the grand scope of vintage clothing sales Pretty Penny Clothing does a remarkable job both with content and quality of merchandise. with an online store and (i believe) two concrete retail locations in California, Pretty Penny manages to pump out loads of new pieces per day---all fantastic in diversity, gorgeousness and pricing. i very much admire their business acumen and their product, and think that if you're in the market, you should most definitely check them out. www.shopseen.com/stores/prettypennyclothing
excepting the items for sale, BLBP goes live today. it's a huge step, and a welcomed one after the countless hours that have gone into its creation. future patrons and the otherwise curious will be able to see highlights from my first collection, Lux, inspired by the Sofia Coppola masterpiece and cult film The Virgin Suicides. they'll also be able to get a sense of the look and feel of the online shop, and they'll learn a little bit about me, too. here's to hoping that each and every one of them likes what she (or he) sees. here's to the start of a fantastic relationship between myself and all of you. and at the same time, here's to making the world just a little bit prettier.
for as long as i can remember, i’ve been somewhere left of center; an organic flux of feminine mystique and “otherness”. in spite of knowing with clarity that i was different, i’ve always had an intuitive finger on the pulse of those things fundamental and beautiful in the stylistic world.
i’m compelled by the creative spirit within myself and others—in writing, in art, performance, music, film, design—each of these has informed and shaped my own personal aesthetic—an aesthetic that transcends time and place, an aesthetic that’s not easily placed into a box because of its ultimate and fundamental eclecticism. i am attracted toward the best examples of so many things: i love the girly kick of glamour and bejewelment; but also the simplicity of clean lines. i love flowing, easy, stand-out knits. i love shit-kicker boots and tomboy jeans. i love refinement and elegance. i love statement hats and handbags. i love glitter.
i’m a maker, a collector, an appreciator of the beauty of the past and most especially in how it merges and mixes with the present. i’m rarely satisfied or compelled by things mass produced or found on a rack at the local mall. i understand the necessity of the basics, but also that for a woman such as myself and for those with whom i feel a kinship, the basics never define. Done right, style is an art form in and of itself.
it is my mission, as i believe it is every woman’s, to be somehow beyond the ordinary. i have always related to the female cult film protagonist, the “outsider”, though understand that she, ironically, at her core and in her journey, is an everywoman, albeit a stylistically elevated one--more colorful, ethereal or fierce, more memorable and outstanding. it is in the intermix of the fashion inherent to societal fringes: punk rock, glam, club kid, over-the-top romanticism, androgyny, classic basics with a funky twist, statement pieces, period pieces and more—which creates, to me, a rare style that i personally feel compelled to piece beautifully, to assimilate and recreate.
i love the thrill of the hunt, and the search for fantastic, unique clothing makes my pulse race that much faster. the thought of sharing these fantastic finds with like-minded, strong, eclectic women excites me even further. Bright Lights Big Pretty is the dream platform which allows me to share all of these wonderful items, and spread their one-of-a-kind beauty a little further throughout the often ho-hum fashion conformity of the norm.
piecing together the bones of an online business sounds like a dream and it is, albeit a time-intensive, labor-heavy and sometimes mind-wracking dream. i'm a writer by nature but have never felt the compulsion to publish, and so this little e-commerce site, Bright Lights Big Pretty, this welcome and unexpected brainchild which marries so many of my interests--film, narrative, fashion, vintage, and more--is my first foray into public scrutiny and acceptance. it's terrifying, and i love the way the thought of all of it makes my heart race.
so please--look around, come often, check out my linked media sites and enjoy. you're always welcome.
marie