02.17.08
My Interview with Britney, Owner of Beritnewyork
Meet Britney Frady-Williams, Owner of www.beritnewyork.etsy.com.
Where are you located? Brooklyn, NY USA
What do you design? I design clothing, corsets, accessories, jewelry and pillows.
Where/How did you learn this? Cutting fabric comes quite natural to me. It started with me cutting my Sunday dress with toenail scissors when I was 2 years old, to the present day, with me trying to make anything and everything with the best materials I can find to complete my dream world ideas.
I have been doing beadwork for almost 15 years now, and learned it from visiting the Cherokee Nation Reservation every summer. The intricate beadwork inspired me to keep up with the art, and I also saw it as a way to honor my Cherokee heritage. I like to think I can bead practically anything at this point.
My mother taught me how to sew at the age of 10 when she bought me my first sewing machine. I later earned an AAS degree in Fashion Design from the prestigious Fashion Institue of Technology in New York City. Some of my formal training invloves corsetry and couture garments.
Favorite Artist who inspires you? My favorite designer has always been Alexander McQueen but I find many artists who inspire me, all the way from the twentieth century down to the first!
Where does your inspiration come from? Jesus of Nazareth and biblical stories play a huge part in the inspirational process. I also take in a great deal from historical eras, particularly the Middle Ages, Byzantine, Roman, Victorian, and Edwardian periods. I am also greatly influenced by supernatural and fantasy themes.
What do you do to combat creative block? I find watching Tim Burton movies and stories set in the Nineteenth Century help jump start my imagination during a creative block.
Where do you design your creations? I line in a small Brooklyn apartment, and am very limited with space, so I basically use our living room as my workshop and our bedroom as an office.
What does your work space look like right now? It is filled with old inventory and new projects scattered about. Lots of fabric, samples, beads, sketches and other odd accessories everywhere. It’s definitely an “artist” workspace.
How does your family feel about what you do? My family is the main driving force behind my business and I owe most of my business sense and know how to them. Crafts run in my family too. My Grandfather was a carpenter and my other Grandmother is a crafter. My Great Grandfather was a Cherokee wood carver. My family’s legacy and encouragement are just as much involved in what I do as I am.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to make their own creations using this method? I would say that if you are getting into fashion design, to first and foremost go to an accredited design school. When it comes to selling things, make sure you are operating a legally registered business and have created a business plan.
Best advice you received when starting your own business venture? Create a well thought out business plan. This step is vital.
Favorite part of owning your own business? The freedom to make my own schedule and my own decisions.
Least favorite? Taking care of bookkeeping, taxes and other legal concerns. It gets pretty complicated.
How do you relax? In the winter I relax by watching movies with my husband. In the summer I relax by walking in parks.
Favorite color? I know technically it’s not a color, but I’ll just say black, because it’s honest.
Does this color show up in a lot of your work? Yes, but I use it more as an accent. Although my wardrobe is mainly black, I have always enjoyed using lots of color in my craft work.
If there were more hours in the day, what would you be doing? Being more social and spending more time with friends and family.
A sample of Beritnewyork products. For all products, please visit Britney’s website.
