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VIOLA BERNICE

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Named after her two grandmothers, Viola Bernice has dreamed of becoming a world renowned fashion designer since the age of seven. Now, with a Bachelor’s in Fashion and years of experience in the industry, Viola Bernice is destined for greatness. Her resume speaks for itself.

 

With a work ethic of diligence  and creating art by any means necessary, VB has been known to  draft patterns and whip up a high fashion cocktail dress in a few hours on the back of tour bus, and sketching out an entire fashion line on a Japanese bullet train, or international flight from Sidney Australia to LAX, before hitting the next location. 

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As a result of her rigorous travel over the past 11 years alone, she has managed to compile a portfolio of several thousands of original concepts, intricate sketches and designs.  Designing for her is encompassing. It’s a way of life. Viola states, “Every day that I’m blessed to see another day is another opportunity to create a thing of beauty. So, why waste time doing anything else?”

BIO

She began working with Johnson’s Publishing Company as a stylist on Ebony and Jet Magazine’s “Ebony Fashion Fair: The Runway Report” tour (the world’s largest traveling fashion show) two months after graduating from college. During this tour, Viola reveled in the excitement of working first-hand with runway garments of designers she has admired since childhood like Valentino, Roberto Cavali, Diane Von Furstenberg, and more.

 

After this, she did independent designing and contracting, while working the tents as an intern for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week several times. During this time, she made the cover of Weddings with Style International Magazine with a four-page spread of a wedding gown she designed and made by hand.

 

In addition to her passion for fashion, Viola also has a love for costume design. She has been mentored by countless designers , tailors and seamstresses in Hollywood film, Television, Broadway and more.  She helped build, operate, and headed the costume department for the world’s largest touring live ice production, Disney on Ice’s “Frozen”, “Rockin’ Ever After”, and Head Costume Mistress for Disney's Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey. With responsibilities as big as these,  she developed a "ready for whatever comes outlook in costume industry."

 

During her career, she has worked with and dressed various celebrity Thespians and Performers, worked nationally syndicated  television shows, such as “Good Morning America,” “Live with Kelly and Michael,”  "Nightline," “Disney 365,” ABC Family Channel, and much more.

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While doing all this, Viola never forgot her fashion roots. She progressed to the semi-finals of the television fashion design competitive show. She also traveled her own “personal studio” around the world, sure to not miss any architectural, natural and organic, artistic inspirations that may spark a new creation. In fact, she has hosted several fashion shows, photoshoots and exhibits while on her

 

travels. Currently,  Viola continues her work in costume, while building costumes for Norwegian Creative Studios (Norwegian Cruise lines) and is trully excited for her new fashion venture and collaboration with a global fashion company, (soon to come, so stay tuned)!

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Design is about execution of what ­­­­you envision in your mind. It’s about the next direction. Fashion to me is an outward expression of my inner most emotions and feeling. Since I was a child I have put every emotion I feel into my designs. No matter the feeling, happy or sad, I have always been able to direct them towards the sketch pad. The cool thing about my creative process is that I’m able to build and develop inspiration from an array of things in everyday life, like nature, architecture, music, time eras, film, art and so much more. Fashion is what motivates me! It allows me to say so much without speaking a word! It’s what I do and love!

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