All about TourNewSoul!

So we asked on our facebook page (found here; we have sales and updates, so go like it! ♡ ) about what you would like us to write about! And so here we are, answering this lovely question:

I’d be interested in reading about the people who run the brand/What inspires them/other design projects etc. I just stumbled across your page recently and thought it was cute but a little mysterious.
— Kavya X. via facebook

First of all, thanks Kavya for asking, we are so happy to answer that! To start off, I should introduce the founders of TourNewSoul: Myself (Brooke) and my best friend and business partner, Kaye. 

About Brooke

Founder and CEO of TourNewSoul

Hello there, my name is Brooke and I am the writer of Bows and Brambles and also the Founder and CEO of TourNewSoul. I graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of California, but have always had an intense love for art. While I am not very skilled in illustration, I have a deep interest in 3-D art. I love sculpting and creating large pieces of artwork. Below are some examples!

Of course, my main outlet in 3-D art is now hat making, but I have done many other types of art work before getting into the art of millinery! One of my favorite pieces I've completed was the instillation piece I made with the wings - made completely out of solo cups! I've worked on many other forms of art as well - from water coloring to oil painting - but 3-Dimensional art has always fulfilled my passion for art like no other medium. 

About Kaye

Founder and CFO of TourNewSoul

Kaye is my business partner, my best friend, and my CFO. She is also an incredible illustrator, which is good news for TourNewSoul and I, since without her, we wouldn't have the illustrations we need to continue creating new things! She's illustrated everything from our logo (and all its pre-stages before it is what it is now), our fabric prints (featured in the last blog) and pretty much any intricate design you see on our site! Outside of TourNewSoul, Kaye has been a successful muralist, tattoo designer, costume designer, and a skilled artist in 2-Dimensional art. Below are some of her own works of art...aren't they beautiful? 

And if you like her artwork, you can like her personal art page, here! She's always updating it with new works of art, and they really are all very gorgeous~! 

About TourNewSoul

Established in 2011

TourNewSoul was a creation that Kaye and I came up with together. We were at one of our first Anime Conventions, AnimeExpo, and were walking around the Artist Alley when we noticed there weren't too many wearable-art craft booths. After talking it over, we decided that if we really dedicated ourselves to it, we felt we could create a brand of wearable art that would set a high standard of design. Since both Kaye and myself were getting into Lolita fashion, (more info found here on this beautiful and intricate fashion style!) we felt that if we focused our brand mainly around this fashion style, we would be able to supply beautifully hand-made goods to girls that would appreciate the design and couture nature of the art. 

Our first booth at Anime Expo was incredibly successful in 2011, and from there we began to hone our skill and solidify our brand. Now TourNewSoul doesn't just supply accessories to girls interested in Lolita, but also to girls who love almost any kind of over-the-top fashion style: from Gyaru to Mori girl, Otome and Dolly Kei. We want to fashion our goods to be able to fit into any person's wardrobe while still maintaining our high quality. 

The Name TourNewSoul was initially inspired around sunflowers, or Tournesol in French. I always derived inspiration from these beautiful, sunny flowers and from the start our first logo was of a sunflower!

firstlogo

The girls were of course Kaye and I. We eventually broke down the name phonetically in English and came up with a special meaning for it based off of one of our favorite movies, the Cat Returns. In the movie, there is a special line that says: 

Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.
— The Cat Returns, Studio Ghibli film

This line inspired us. It was the final factor that established our brand. We wanted to make things out of our love and inspiration. We wanted to breathe life into our concepts and give them a soul. And so, TourNewSoul stands for designs made with love, and given a new soul. 

Future Designs

What we have in store for you!

Right now, we are working on some great new designs, less focused around hats and more around smaller accessories (such as our brooches) and also something totally new for us: Apparel!☆ This is a whole new field for us, and we have been working on designs for years now, waiting for the perfect design to come in order to launch this entirely new 'department' to TourNewSoul. As of recently, you may have noticed a post on our facebook page about something new in store for you. 

new1

Well that is totally true! We are as of recently, coming up with something new and amazing for TourNewSoul! I can't say too much for than that for now, but look out in the near future for some great new designs, all made with a soul by yours truly, Kaye and myself (Brooke!). ♡♡

If you liked this blog, feel free to share it with others, and comment below! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the blog, our brand, or pretty much anything else. Want to know something about TourNewSoul, myself, the world? Ask below and I might make a post about it! ♫♫