The owner of eponymous Yvonne Bennetti tells Apparel her label and store on Jervois Road began by accident but this is hard to believe. Yvonne has a long and successful career in textiles behind her and to create the connection she now has with her customers there is no mischance behind her brand. Yvonne, raised in Hamilton, is a graduate of Auckland University of Technology in Fashion Design and Textiles. Yvonne was then an assistant designer to Trelise Cooper before moving to Hong Kong to work for a Chinese textile company. Yvonne was mesmerized by textiles there and soon began her own textile company Bennetti Ltd in Hong Kong. Yvonne collaborated with many leading fashion designers and companies before she began her brand and opened her store in 2003. Tessuti was moving out of where Yvonne Bennetti now is and the owner first asked Yvonne if she would like the store. Yvonne Bennetti seemed a natural progression from all of Yvonne’s experience. In love and in business with beading, printing and embroidery Yvonne began to create high-end garments for women who wanted a personal touch in fashion. Among many career highlights for Yvonne is creating a fabric used by Zambesi, having her designs gracing covers such as Elle America as well as dressing well known celebrities, such as Rachel Hunter. Yvonne still likes to work closely with her clients and prefers to make made to measure garments. She adores 1920s beading and this personal interest inspires her when developing prints and playing with texture. Yvonne Bennetti’s bespoke and made to measure garments are feminine and vibrant. When she first opened her store many woman embraced the chance to try on colour, even though they walked in wearing black. There is a degree of vintage in a Yvonne Bennetti look but the most important part about it is that it is tactile, Yvonne’s clothes are beautiful to the touch.
