Meet Amber Rose’s designer Sonique, creator of the ‘you fake like this Birkin’ handbag

Hats off to celebrity stylist Sonique Saturday, handbag designer and CEO of BellaDonna Handbags LLC. I got a chance to chat with Sonique last week to ask about her unique styles and creativity design process.

ro: What made you create this “Fake Like You Birkin Bag?”

Sonique: Well it started with me wanting a Hermes bag, back when they were hot, remember? About three years ago when the bag was hot!  Yeah, well I wanted one so bad but couldn’t afford it. But you know that was basically how it went with everyone who loves the bag. Dude! The majority of the people who loved the bag cant afford the bag. So I decided to write it on my bag! Can’t afford a Hermes bag! Then I started making them for my friends, and it kind of all started from there.

ro: So pretty much you was just like “no shame in your game,” down to sport the fake Hermes.

Sonique: In so many words yes! I would like to say I was born into fashion! My family is in the industry in many other ways. It really wasn’t hard for me to grasp that I would be carrying around the fake Birkin bag. I was just wearing it on my own and people just gravitated to it, and they started to request the bag. So I started making it and selling to others.

ro: So you are definitely a trend setter? A naturally born trend setter.

Sonique: Well… (laughs)

ro: It’s true, and it’s a unique characteristic. What do you think it is that makes the difference in a celebrity stylist in Los Angeles (with so much competition around)? How do you get hired by that celebrity, and what are people doing wrong that are not getting hired?

Sonique: Yeah either as a stylist and designer you are either just doing it because you want to do it, and it’s something you enjoy. Or you are on a mission to get the job!  The thing is people are brown-nosing these celebrities for the work all the time. It really kinds of all boils down to your personality. That plays a huge role in getting the return phone call over and over for the styling work.

ro: True, and you never know who is going to wear what where and that one photo is taken to give your brand the attention it deserves.

Sonique: Yes, I feel like the situation that took place with Amber Rose and the Birkin bag at LAX; the timing and location couldn’t have been better. It was like the timing was so perfect it was like a strike of gold! In this day and age in the industry “timing is everything.” When that picture of the bag hit the blogs people started calling me telling me about it. However, the very next morning my phone was blowing up for orders of the bags. Calls from social media, text messages and emails and orders being placed. My cell phone was literally at 26 percent by 9:30 a.m., and I woke up with it on a full charge. It was crazy! Such a blessing! It definitely got me very excited about everything going on with my work.

ro: Are there any closing words you have of inspiration to aspiring stylists?

Sonique: Originality is so rare and extinct. If people tried to be more original and stop duplicating things, they have seen they will sleep better at night knowing they didn’t steal someone else’s idea and try to re-create it. I want the other stylists to bring originality back like Justin Timberlake is bringing sexy back.

With social media being so heavy it’s like on Instagram – people that follow you and that you follow, make sure you are getting inspired by them. Not following them just to mimic their style. It really just takes away from that person’s style who is doing the biting mimicking. Everyone needs to find their niche and just focus on their own niche style, and they would be more successful.

ro: LA is one of those places where “if you stand out you will win.” It doesn’t neccesarily have to be cheap or expensive, it really just needs to be different. There are a lot of thrifters here that build their business on being thrifty. As long as it’s creative and different that’s what matters most. Being a stylist is definitely a talent. Everyone cannot be a stylist, right? I’m noticing more and more that many celebrities are becoming Instagram boutique shoppers. What’s up with that? Are they just accepting the items because it’s free and the Instagram boutique owners are throwing their clothes at them?

Sonique: That’s exactly what’s happening.

ro: Who are some of the other celebrities you have styled that are on your brag list?

Sonique:  Well I’ve had the privilege to style Red Grant (Actor and Comedian), Jeremy Tyler (Los Angeles Lakers), F. Gary Gray (Film and Movie Director) (Director of the NWA movie, Straight Outta Compton), Renee Bhagwandeen (America’s Next Top Model Cycle 20), Que (Rapper, hit single OG Bobby Johnson), Trinidad James (Rapper, hit single “All Gold Everything,” Raye (@itsmyrayeraye famous beauty blogger), Francisco Lachowski (Supermodel), Tara Lynn (Plus Size supermodel).