FKN Sassy – Bonsai Kitten

May 21, 2012 in Fashion, Lifestyles

We’ve got another awesome installment of FKN Sassy for you lovely ladies out there. Today we check out a company out of Australia by the name of Bonsai Kitten. Bonsai Kitten specializing in underwear, camisoles and slip dresses which work as both intimates and outerwear. This is definitely a brand you should look into ladies!

Clothing line name: Bonsai Kitten
City/State: Melbourne, Australia
Established date: February 2011
Website: www.bonsaikitten.com.au

Price range for clothing: $29 undies – $49 long slip dresses
Where to buy your clothing: www.bonsaikitten.com.au

So tell us about your brand?

- Bonsai Kitten is retro and pin-up inspired underwear and intimates for ladies. Specializing in underwear, camisoles and slip dresses which work as both intimates and outerwear, Bonsai Kitten is heavily influenced by the iconic style of 40′s and 50′s pin-up girls and caters to women who value comfort and classic timeless style,. All the styles are designed to mix and match, so you can now team your fave high-waist undies with super-cute crop camis, classic camisole tops, long and short slip dresses.

How did you come up with the name?

- Believe it or not I was strangely obsessed with the viral hoax of Bonsai Kittens back in 2000. I was living in Barcelona, Spain and I remember seeing these images of the Japanese supposedly growing kittens into jars and I was like…”Whaaat??! Are they for real??” It was pretty well done at the time and the whole concept captured my imagination in a kinda twisted way and sort of stuck. I even made a T-shirt with I heart Bonsai Kitten. All the underwear for Bonsai Kitten now is pre-packaged in lil gift boxes, so I like the idea of a little bit of pussy in a box…

What were you doing before launching your brand?

- I’ve been dabbling in the dark arts of creativity for awhile now and have worked in both fashion and costuming previously. I always loved the theatrics of costuming and the creativity it allows. I’ve built costumes for TV and also the commercial industry. Just prior to starting Bonsai Kitten I was working for another local fashion label.

When did you begin thinking about launching your own clothing brand?

- Its been in the works for awhile and I’ve flirted with my own clothing label before, I just didn’t have a solid vision until I settled on retro undies.

What best describes your line & who is it targeted to?

- Bonsai Kitten is all about retro styling. Its funny how huge the whole pin-up/vintage movement has become, and the modern spin on it all is so inspiring. I’ve always been obsessed with pin-up girls, I love how they combine cheeky, demure and sexy, so I guess it was exciting to find an outlet to express this. Bonsai Kitten enjoys a large audience within the Kustom Kulture, rock’n roll, and rockabilly scene, burlesque and pin-up community and all lovers of vintage goodness. However, I’ve also found a large niche with more voluptuous ladies who also want great, sexy undies. So I guess really its for anyone who loves more classic styling and that beautifully feminine 50’s form.

What influenced you to start this line?

- I wanted to do something that was different from clothing and also something that not many people were doing. Oh and I’m also a little fanatical about underwear.

How is your brand different from others out there?

- I like to think that Bonsai Kitten provides both value for money and also great quality. I think that good underwear is a basic human right and so I try to keep all Bonsai Kitten products as affordable for everyone as possible, while also maintaining excellent quality of fabrics, etc. I also like the idea of being able to wear Bonsai Kitten as slinky outwear, so you can team your favorite jeans, pants or skirts with a super-cute camisole and then wear it to bed later if you want.

Are there any challenges you run into while running a business?

- Yes! Everyday can be a challenge, but I guess that’s part of being in business and also life. You have to learn to best manage challenge and creatively overcome adversity.

What ways did you find promoting your brand worked?

- Social media and Facebook is obviously amazing. Its all free and allows direct access to your public and feedback etc. Website and blogs, some print publications are great. I also do a lot of relevant festivals and trade events so am dealing directly with my end customers, and doing a lot of face to face promotion. I think people value meeting the person behind the brand.

Are there any future plans for your line?

- World domination….?! But seriously I’d love to crack more of the US and international market.

How did you hear about FKN Famous & what do you think of us?

- You guys are great! A friend put me on to you…

Any last shout outs?

- I work with a fantastic co-operative of widows from the Bali bombing in Bali, Indonesia called Adopta. They manage Bonsai Kitten production and are absolutely talented, amazing and working hard to support their families. Bonsai Kitten wouldn’t be were it was today with their efforts! So a big thanks to them!!