Girl Scout sewing lessons eventually lead Bonnie Storm of Divas by Design to become the creator of unique, sexy, music video-inspired fashions for dolls. Bonnie was a creative kid who became inspired by the potential of fabric. “(In Girl Scouts) I had a phenomenal teacher and made my first outfit when I was about 12 years old. I still remember it…..striped pants, fringy vest and a tunic. We even had a fashion show on stage at a local church. It was incredible!” Bonnie worked in various crafts but was especially drawn to fashion, make-up, and hairstyling. She would practice hairstyles on her very patient grandmother and eventually began to sew for her mother, sister and herself. Bonnie originally planned to become a cosmetologist. Somehow she ended up in a totally unrelated job as a police and fire dispatcher, then met her husband and settled down to raising two daughters.

Bonnie’s daughters were curious about the dolls their mother had when she was young. Bonnie had collected Dawn dolls, and they decided to search for some on eBay. Other people on eBay were selling hand-made Dawn fashions for the dolls, and soon Bonnie was too. From Dawn, Bonnie progressed to fashion dolls, which changed her focus to a more mature look with a rocker aesthetic. Bonnie states, “My biggest inspiration is music videos. They have always influenced my personal and design style. I LOVE designing in leather and making corsets.  I really enjoy sexy GlamRock looks, and designs you would see on the red carpet at the VMA’s or Grammys.  I am inspired by rocker chic and musical artists.   My personal preference is sexy and strong.  I just can’t help myself!”  She was aware of BJDs for a while but wasn’t sure if they were for her, so she admired them from a distance. A friend named Janis, the owner of Sunrise Dolls in Florida, gave her an opportunity to finally experience BJDs first-hand when she asked Bonnie to dress some  for a doll show. In return for the costumes, Bonnie was given an Elfdoll Ryung. Sunrise Dolls closed its doors before the show opened, but Bonnie still has her Ryung. The doll has been an inspiration to her. According to Bonnie “Ryung is still the “queen” of my collection.” She added “Everything changed the day that my Ryung (Isabella) arrived on the scene.  She was so big and heavy and I was scared to death to handle her for fear of breaking this magnificent doll. I remember it taking months before I attempted to change her eyes. How ridiculous is that!? Undeterred, I decided to create a design line for BJD’s.”

Bonnie loves designing fashions for BJDs. “I do not create personas for my dolls but they do have design “personalities” and their own names.  I love the customizing potential of BJD’s…being able to create so many personalities with a single doll.  I never thought that I had a favorite….but I do seem to lean toward Souldoll.  I have a Souldoll Soulkid Miryu (Scarlett) and my newest addition, Souldoll Soo-Hyun (Gerard).  I had so many requests for boy clothing, I decided to shop around and eventually found and fell in love with Soo-Hyun.  I am really enjoying designing for an SD size boy.  It’s an entirely different experience than girl fashions and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  I am currently working up new patterns and hope to expand this design line. Presently my collection is more modest with my faves being ElfDoll Ryung, Souldoll Soo-Hyun and Souldoll Soulkid Miryu.  I’d like to add more BJD’s in the future with a couple of Soom dolls in mind and perhaps a Limhwa mature female and Mano high on the list. I’d also like an ElfDoll June.”

Bonnie drafts all her own patterns for her clothing. “I borrow design elements from everywhere I look.  The mall, magazines, award shows, print ads, my daughters and their friends…you name it.  When I go shopping, it is always with an eye for cutting garments up a’la Edward Scissorhands.  When I show my daughters a garment at the store, the first question they ask is if I intend to cut it up.  They know me like a book. Another disorder I have acquired from designing, is when I look at a garment, the first thing my mind’s eye does is dismantle it.  I picture every dress, jacket, necklace….everything…in pieces, and my mind begins to figure out how to assemble the piece. Once the item is assembled in my mind, I go home and recreate it.   It’s quite un nerving yet inspiring.   Fabrics also inspire me.  I love to shop for fabric and a single fabric can create a new design in my mind.”

While Bonnie takes on commissions, she prefers not to design totally new costumes. “I prefer to take commissions involving pieces and styles with patterns that I have already drafted. The pattern-drafting process can get quite involved and it is difficult to set a price point on that type of project.  I do however, get a lot of commission work based on my existing designs. Many people want a particular dress in a different color or fabric, or mix and match pieces from different outfits.  I enjoy that a lot.  Many clients put pieces together as an outfit I would never have pictured.  Input and fresh eyes are always welcome.”

Bonnie also makes a limited number of wigs. ” When I make a wig it takes several days.  All of my wigs are washed, conditioned, dried, and individually hand styled.  No wig leaves my workshop without being properly fit on a doll. I am a bit obsessive-compulsive about my wigs which is why I have cut back on their availability.  I will not ship a short, uneven or frizzy wig.  I discard the ‘rejects’ and remake the wig until I get one that I consider premium.  I do offer some of the less-than-premium wigs on Ebay for reduced prices. I offer sizes 8/9, 7/8 and Tyler/Gene size wigs.”  Bonnie makes some jewelry that is sold on the site. A special selection of “*Taylor-Made* Original Jewelry” is made by her daughter. ” I really enjoy jewelry-making, and am happy that my daughter Taylor is an aspiring jewelry designer.  She has made magnificent for-people jewelry and has progressed into doll jewelry with her line which can be found on my website and listed under my Ebay ID.”

Divas by Design is updated with new work regularly. “I try to update my website throughout the month.  Availability of outfits depends on the amount of materials and fabric I have on hand.  If the fabric/materials are easily obtainable, the quantities available are greater.  I do like to run specials throughout the month both on my sale page and the Deal of the Day page.  The Deal  of the Day specials are usually 40-50% discounts off of my regular prices. I prefer to design for dolls that I have fit models for….Elfdolls, Souldoll Soo-Hyun, Soulkids, Ellowyne Wilde, Tyler Wentworth, and Matt O’Neill.”

Bonnie’s future plans for her shop include branching out with period touches in her work. “I am currently working on some Baroque-inspired designs and period  pieces.  Time to shake things up a bit!  I am also hoping to develop a hat and (fingers crossed) shoe line.  Both are in their infant stages right now, but I do hope to make it happen.  I also plan on expanding my SD boy line.  I draft my own patterns and hand-make every aspect of my outfits and jewelry, so the largest obstacle I have is finding enough time to do everything I have whirling around in my mind.”

Above from top: Powder Puff for SD girls, Stryker for SD boys.

Divas by Design Website
Divas by Design~Fashions by Bonnie Storm Gallery

Aphrodite

Jungle Love

Rock n/ Rolla

Righteous

Illuminating

*Taylor-Made* necklace