Crib Notes
With her infant bedding and nursery designs, Wendy Bellissimo ushers in the newest additions with beauty and style.
Vital Stats:
Wendy Bellissimo, 37, founder and designer of Wendy Bellissimo
Media Inc.
Company: Los
Angeles-based nursery designer; has upscale infant bedding and
accessories lines Wendy Bellissimo and moderately priced Wendy
Bee
2004 Projected
Sales: $3 million
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Sampled Goods:
When the owners of the home store Bellissimo worked for told her to
discard some sample fabrics, she thought they were gorgeous and
kept them. But she didn't touch them until a few months later
when the store closed down. Pairing the samples with complementary
fabrics, Bellissimo created 30 pillows, 29 of which she sold to the
very first of the posh Montana Avenue shops she entered in Santa
Monica, California. Eventually, the adult collection made it into
retail stores including Macy's and Bed Bath & Beyond.
Baby Love: Her
popular infant line began when Bellissimo purchased a few rolls of
infant/children's fabric on a whim and began mixing the fabrics
with some from the adult collection before a trade show.
"Because I had never had babies myself and had never looked
into the baby and kids market, I was truly designing from my
heart," says Wendy. Her trade show booth became flooded with
people interested in the newest creations.
Tailor-Made: A
highly sought-after nursery
"My
love for what I did with my adult line came through naturally into
the baby and kids thing."
designer, Bellissimo adds personal touches of what parents love,
sometimes expressing their passions or hobbies. Designing actress
Catherine Bell's nursery, Bellissimo commissioned a mural of a
Tuscan countryside with a Ducati motorcycle rider, since the
parents-to-be were enthusiasts who had visited Italy's Ducati
racetrack. Now a parent of three, Bellissimo's designs have
evolved. "I know now what works with not just beauty, but
function."
Booked:
Branching out, Bellissimo has published Nesting: Lifestyle Inspirations for Your Growing
Family. The book includes a DVD and covers everything from
design tips to baby showers. Licensing the Wendy Bellissimo name
for every category of her infant line, she'll also be returning
to work on the adult line soon.