Young, Independent, and Female: Meet Soni Bloo
Fleur Femme - Marietta Bralette
Flora Rosa - the Natalia Top
Women often find themselves at a crossroads when shopping for clothing: order from affordable but unethical online sites, or spend money on quality items coming from an industry overtaken by men. The most renowned feminine fashion brands are scarcely operated by women — wherein pieces meant to reflect our style are created by those whose personal design is often quite the opposite. This will remain true unless young women like Soni Bloo continue to enter the scene — curating original and stylish pieces from her home in Virginia to share with the women who crave a feminine perspective on the larger world of fashion.
Soni’s two brands, Flora Rosa and Fleur Femme are inspired by her own life and experiences; the former coming “from [her] heart” and “the light of everyday life”, and the latter being reflective of the luxuries girls like herself dream of. Speaking specifically about Fleur Femme, she says, “Going to grand events … and wearing Femme just makes you feel special, and I love that.”
Hand-sourcing all of her fabrics, Soni tends to focus on cottons, eyelets, and silks. Flora Rosa is achieved using 100% recycled materials which she seeks out herself. The fluidity of this brand allows her more flexibility, and she feels fulfilled by selecting only the highest quality fabrics for her designs.
As for Fleur Femme, Soni has found herself occupying a more consumer-oriented business plan, given the success of her Black Mesh Top, Lily Tops, Rosetta Dress, Christiana Dress and Tops, and Claudia Tops. She continues to source the fabric needed to make these pieces in small batches in order to cater to demand while remaining sustainable and authentic. However, she shares that “...everything else that’s coming up in my future collections will be 100% recycled material. I’ve been working on these collections for a while and finally have the time to present them out into the world and my lovely audience.”
When asked what is next for her, Soni discusses the possibility of working with a small manufacturing company in the USA. She is specific about the needs she wants met for both of her brands alike, and eventually, “hope[s] to open a small workspace … hir[ing] a small team of equally driven, passionate, and honest people who have a love for nature and fashion.” But, she will not stop at this milestone; Soni wants to open in-person locations, and the prospect of this excites her immensely.
Soni wants all “aspiring dreamers” to know that they are capable. She is passionate about surrounding herself with good people and taking care of herself in the midst of chasing her goals, as this is the recipe for success. In wanting it for all the right reasons, she has found quite the love for her projects. She wants all supporters to know that “you always have a friend in my brand’s atmosphere”, and that she is always open to answering questions and extending advice to those who share similar aspirations. Soni says, “I love connecting with my audience and supporters. It really drives and inspires me to be better!”
Shop on Instagram by visiting her pages @flleurfemme and @fllorarrosa :)