Charlottetown: Rosebud Beads for Hitchcock blondes
It’s hard to describe the way I feel about certain local clothing companies. Phrases like ridiculously-enthusiastic-bordering-on-crazed-fandom, and completely-obsessed don’t even begin to cover the way I talk about and covet the pieces that a few of my most favourite Maritime designers produce. One of the most exciting of these small businesses is Rosebud Beads (rosebudbeads@gmail.com or join their Facebook group).
Island girl Krista Cousins started the company in 2006, after making a life-altering decision: university, with its textbook memorization, just wasn’t doing anything for her creative tendencies. Cousins returned to the Island and resumed one of her favourite hobbies: creating jewellery. Since then her designs have inspired a small but cult-like following.
The collection consists essentials like necklaces, earrings, brooches and pins. Some pieces start out as vintage finds that Cousins reconstructs into designs that are both classic and cutting edge. The pieces remind me of something that a cool, blonde Hitchcock heroine or femme fatale would wear during the film’s most pivotal, murderous scene. Others are built from scratch and are all about intricate beading, bright colors, and funky, kooky, alluring patterns. The pieces in this second vein would be the perfect accents to one of Katy Perry’s outrageous, ’40s pin-up frocks.
My most recent purchase is a pair of tiny, shiny, deep-green button earrings with a pearl centre. I wear them almost religiously and am constantly peppered with questions about where I found them and who made them.
Photography by Anna Wansbrough
My name is Amanda Bulman and I’m a 22-year-old freelance writer, graphic novel fanatic, vintage fashion fiend and photographer in the beautiful city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This Island is not known to our more obviously stylish neighbouring provinces as being a hip, fashion-enlightened, happening place, but I’ve found that once you look around you’ll find that some of Canada’s most talented (and underrated) designers, stores and musicians call the birthplace of Canada’s Confederation home.