It is always really inspiring to me to meet other women entrepreneurs and it's even better when they've been long-time friends! Katie Rooprai and I went to high school together and she was gracious enough to host a group of awesome ladies in her home in Denver this past May for a trunk show for Erin's Faces. Katie has developed a super successful line of some of THE cutest handmade dresses for little girls (avail in 3 months - 5T) called
(the perfect gift for this aunt of two nieces!) and even Martha Stewart has taken notice, but more on that later - read on!
When did you start
Bun Bun & Monkey?
I officially launched Bun Bun & Monkey in October 2013.
Prior to that I had been sewing a lot for my kids, and making a lot of gifts
for friends, but I launched my
Etsy site last October.
 |
| Pierson (Starboy TShirt), Marin (Chinese Lantern Playdress) and friend (Citrus Slices Playdress) |
How did the name come
about?
I named my company after my kids’ two luvvies; the beloved
stuffed animals that feel like my third and fourth children. My son, Pierson, has
a monkey that has been his best friend since birth, and my daughter, Marin, has
the same relationship with a white bunny. I’m constantly walking around the
house saying, “Where are Bun Bun and Monkey? Has anyone seen Monkey or Bun
Bun?” One day as I was on the hunt for Bun Bun & Monkey I thought their
names together sounded like a catchy name for the business. I originally named the company Double
Luvvies, but after a few weeks I switched to Bun Bun & Monkey—it just had a
great ring to it.
What made you decide
to turn sewing from something you did for your children into a business?
Five years ago I didn’t own a sewing machine and I didn’t
know how to sew. But then I left my corporate marketing job to stay at home
with my son. I finally had the time to
learn to sew; a life skill that is quickly becoming a lost art. My Mom was the
perfect teacher, as she had sewn for me throughout my childhood. I just wanted
to sew a few baby clothes and maybe a throw pillow. Two years later we were
blessed with a baby girl. There’s just something about a little girl that makes
you want to sew, and sew, and sew. I started creating new outfits for Marin and
giving handmade gifts at baby showers. It was the incredible response from
friends and family that encouraged me to start Bun Bun & Monkey. Eventually
after enough people say, “You could sell this, you should start a business,” I
finally listened.
What makes Bun Bun
& Monkey stand out?
What draws people to my Playdresses is how polished and put
together they look. Without being overly frilly or fussy, my dresses are an
elegant solution for everyday dressing. I use on-trend fabrics that help little
girls standout in a crowd because of their classic beauty, a welcome break from
mass-produced, commercialized princess dresses. In the summer I love to work
with timeless fabrics like seersucker and nautical prints, as well as modern
floral patterns. For my fall/winter collection I move toward bold geometric
prints and tartan plaids in the holiday season. These fabric choices often
remind mom/grandma of their own childhood, but in an updated dress for today’s
fashion forward little girl. And because I do a matching hair bow and fabric
bead necklace with each Playdress, the total look is classic, custom, adorable.
 |
| Coral Floral and Patriotic Princess Playdresses |
What’s your most
popular print?
This summer the most popular design was the one I named
“
Patriotic Princess” (see above) – it features a white sleeveless top and a skirt in blue
and white seersucker with red polka dot trim. I love that it is super summery
and patriotic. For the Fall collection, the
Fall Flowers Playdress (see below) has been a
big hit. The skirt has bold, modern flowers in warm autumn tones of browns,
reds, and a touch of yellow. My favorite
part is the trim that features a broken line pattern in the same colors.
 |
| Fall Flowers Playdress |
How do you pick your
fabrics for the next season?
Designing for each new season is my favorite part of the
whole process. I shop all over the
place, in boutique fabric stores and online. And I look for patterns that
really catch my eye. I try to have a good mix of colors—some pink and purple,
but also brown, red, green, etc. And my husband is the best sounding board, I
always consult him on the fabrics I choose.
 |
| Hairbows, Luxe Car Seat Covers and more at a Denver market |
Do you do boys
clothes too or just girls?
Boys are included too! I have Birthday Shirts for boys in a
fun robot pattern, and I always make a coordinating
StarBoy T-Shirt (see 2nd photo in post) to match
the girls’ dresses when the print allows. For instance any print that isn’t
heavy on pink and purple makes a great boys shirt. And I’m a total sucker for
matching boy/girl outfits. My next project is to work on developing a line of bow
ties for boys. This summer we were attending a wedding and I had forgotten to
pack my son’s bow tie. He had a total meltdown, so I grabbed one of my
daughter’s
Hair Bows and clipped it to his shirt. It looked great all night
long. So I have a bit of product development to do, but I’m excited about the
idea.
 |
| Cherry Festival Playdress and Play Pearls |
Anything for moms?
Yes! We can’t forget about Mom! I make an accessory called
Play Pearls — fabric bead necklaces in all the wonderful prints that match our
Playdresses. These are a great accessory for mom, and the best part is they are
virtually indestructible. My kids were forever pulling on my delicate necklaces
and breaking them, so I decided to make “jewelry” that was super kid friendly.
I also have a lot of moms that use the Play Pearls as teething or nursing
necklaces.
 |
| Spooky Sweet Playdress |
What’s new for Fall?
The start of Fall is truly my favorite time of year—I can’t
wait for the weather to get cool, and I can never get enough pumpkin
everything. So this year’s Fall collection features some of my favorite fabrics
and prints: the Flannel Fans dress with a super soft single-nap flannel in
greys and pink on the skirt, and the
Spooky Sweet Playdress which is perfect for
Halloween season (which in my house starts now and last for a full two months!)
Spooky Sweet is has a black long-sleeve top, and a spider web/moth pattern on
the bottom in muted tones of mauve and grey. My description really doesn’t do
it justice, it’s delightfully unique for Halloween without the traditional
orange/black combo. Also this Fall I’m featuring even more designs in the
larger sizes, 2T-5T, which have been increasingly popular for Bun Bun &
Monkey.
I’ve been to your
house – you are always mothering, cleaning, cooking, etc - when do you have
time to sew?!
That’s a very good question! I am a full-time Mom first and
foremost. And like most Momtrepreneurs,
I have to fit my business in around the rest of my non-stop life. It’s a
constant balancing act. My “sewing studio” is in my basement, which makes it
convenient to work whenever life allows. I always joke that my office hours are
from 10pm-2pm, but it’s really not a joke!
What’s the story on
this Martha Stewart Nomination?
Bun Bun & Monkey is a 2014 Martha Stewart American Made
Awards Nominee! We’re so honored and
excited! For the past two years the Martha Stewart organization has been
celebrating American Made products from a wide variety of categories…everything
from jars of jam and wheels of cheese to bikes and scarves. Bun Bun &
Monkey meets the qualifications of being proudly American Made. In the
nomination, I had the chance to answer the question, “What does American Made
mean to me?” It’s very thought-provoking
to consider why this movement is so important to our country and our economy.
When I choose an American Made product, I expect it to last
longer and have a higher degree of craftsmanship. These values inspire my work
at Bun Bun & Monkey.
Our Playdress has an extended wear cycle and can be
worn for multiple years. The first year it fits as a dress, hitting at the knee
or slightly below. Next year it pairs perfectly with leggings as a peplum top
or tunic. Long after mass produced kids clothes have shrunk, faded, or fallen
apart, our Playdresses are ready to be passed down to little sisters or
neighbors for many more seasons of wear. And there’s something special about
this notion of “small batch” that has cropped up in the retail world. Whether
it’s chocolate, bourbon, or clothing, it indicates that more time was taken to
create the product; that more hands and fewer machines were involved in the
process. And that makes us feel as if we’re getting a product truer to our
roots, maybe a few degrees closer to what our great-grandparents experienced.
Can we vote for you?!
To help Bun Bun & Monkey advance from a Nominee to a Finalist in the 2014
Martha Stewart American Made Awards, here's how you can help: SHARE this link on
Facebook and Twitter as widely as possible before this Tuesday, Sept. 9.
http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/95763/crafts/bun-bun--monkey
Where do I find Bun
Bun and Monkey?
Upcoming Markets
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