Isabella Lalonde’s world of [Beepy Bella](https://beepybella.world) is best described with no words, a fruition of visual decadence. A young New York artist with an inertia beyond the breadth of singular modalities. The variety of mediums she worked in while attending Parsons School of Design have informed her jewelry design. Somewhat fantasy, somewhat memory, Lalonde orchestrates a dreamy world of not merely object, but of the pieces, the parts of play and escapism that fade with age. She reintroduces simplicity in form while abstracting and cultivating magical assorted necklaces and earrings that seduce in both their elegance and texture.
**Can you speak a bit about your background?**
I am shaped by the places I lived in while growing up - Switzerland, New York, Paris - as my family moved every few years for my father's work. Graduating from Parsons in 2018 with a BFA in Fine Art, I have evolved my experimental video, book and performance skills into my jewelry and nourished my natural love for jewelry-making through specialized programs at Central Saint Martins in London. After stints at Vogue, Dior and Elle, I currently work at Helmut Lang as a graphic designer in NYC. Through my passion and practice in art, fashion and design, I aspire to bring sustainable handmade objects to the forefront of modern consumerism.
**What is your process like for designing your jewelry?**
In our modern society, there is a myth that adults must let go of their childhood imagination to be taken more seriously. I like to challenge that sentiment by making my jewelry as playful and as fun-filled as can be. When designing each piece, my imagination explores uncharted and vivacious territory. As a result, the process is cathartic and a revealing of my inner being.
Synthesis often inspires my bead placements and compositions. When I assemble a necklace, bracelet or earrings, I can taste and feel the essence of the beads I am using….I go beyond the outer tactical sensation. I tune into these senses while placing the beads into natural and unconventional compositions.
**Where do you draw inspiration from?**
Most, if not all, of my inspiration stems from childhood. Having moved so often before college made me feel like I had lived many lives. The one constant throughout, was how I used my imagination to transform my changing surroundings into a cherished utopia of my own creation. Whether it was filling the unfamiliar nooks in bedroom walls with prancing pixies, pretending to converse with the baby rabbits under a backyard trampoline or hugging the blossoming tree trunks for their springtime energy, I always relied on my mind to create a comfortable, positive setting for myself. No matter how challenging my environment was, emotionally or physically, I was always able to escape into this safe, and sometimes healing, world of my own. This notion is what roots my creative practice to this day. The reason why I became an artist is because I wanted to share this form of healing with others.
**Your process and style captivates beyond the object. I am interested to hear about your outlook on making and how you came to decide upon jewelry.**
I started designing jewelry because I wanted to translate my world building skills into something portable, personal and wearable. I found that with fine arts I wasn’t able to interact with viewers on the intimate level I aspired to. I wanted to connect with my viewers with personalized conversations. Jewelry allows me to build on a fine arts approach to personal storytelling,
Along the way, I also have learned, and am still learning, a great deal from running my own business. Art school did not teach me how to evaluate the value of materials and my labour. Now being exposed to the business world, I can better understand how to give my art practice worth. And what’s super fun is that I still get to be an artist for other aspects of my brand... like making images and videos, art directing my own editorials and creating new set designs to shoot jewelry. This has evolved my eye for art and design to a new level.
**What's been a favorite project or piece you've created?**
My favorite piece changes daily depending on my mood, and the apple of my eye currently is the [_amanita ange_](https://beepybella.world/shop/amanita-angels)_ls_ earrings. Sandwiched between two freshwater pearls, the glass mushroom beads are made by hand. Colorful and lively, these beads truly represent what Beepy Bella is about. I created them on a whim in the wee hours of the night, when I suddenly realized that they would make the perfect, magical statement earrings, complementing my necklace collection.
Just a little anecdote... my fascination with amanita mushrooms, also known as the fly agaric, started when I was three years old. At the time, my family was living in Switzerland, in a charming Vaudois home overlooking Lac Leman and majestic mountains on the other side of the lake. My family would venture weekly into the nearby Swiss hills for long hikes. The sound of cowbells and the smell of moist mountain forests mark my childhood. One special day, my visiting grandmother and I held hands as we hiked in the mountains. I quickly turned my head to the left as a bright red object on the ground caught my eye. My grandmother and I walked off the path to discover it was a fly agaric mushroom. I still remember this first encounter with what seemed to be a voluptuous mushroom bigger than my head. I recall being awestruck, and staring at the fungi with a white speckled red hat. I felt immense respect and enchantment. I continue to love this magical mushroom to this day, and fungi are an essential part of my creative process and inspiration.
**Who would you love to style with your jewelry?**
There are so many beautiful souls I’d love to style with my jewelry. I deeply connect with the fashion taste and music of FKA Twigs making her my first choice of angels I would like to see rocking a Beepy necklace. Dev Hynes, Yves Tumor or my all-time girl crush Zoe Kravitz would also be a dream come true.
**What is your dream collaboration?**
Product-wise, my dream collaboration would be with Regime des Fleurs as their packaging and products compliment Beepy Bella super well. I’d love to design a glass pendant that also functions as an essential oil or perfume carrier. As perfume has always been a curiosity of mine, I would love to learn more about the process and how Beepy Bella can translate into that realm.
Artist-wise, I would love to collaborate with painter Vanessa Stockard on a Beepy Bella campaign. Her paintings are so fun and playful. They definitely encompass a Beepy Bella spirit. I’ve always wanted to create a fully painted or illustrated editorial campaign for my jewelry as it’s important to place as much importance onto a photographed product as an illustrated one.
**What music are you currently listening to?**
I love this question! One of the main reasons I listen to music is to reduce my anxiety. Much of my music taste surrounds healing frequencies to let my mind drift into a meditative, stream-of-consciousness state. My favorite artists include Miharu Koshi and Haruomi Hosono, Susumu Yokota, Kimio Eto, Cyanide, Herb Ellis and Drexciya. On a more modern note, I love listening to Sudan Archives, ELIZA, Channel Tres, Bleu Toucan, Miink and Rosie Lowe. When I feel like dancing with my house plants, my ultimate favorite is Plantasia by Mort Garson. I’m such a big fan that I have both a hoodie and t-shirt with the album graphics. It makes me happy.
**What are you hoping to convey or touch in your consumers?**
Beepy Bella strives to ensure its wearers feel safe, comforted and loved. I hope they feel as though they are being spoken to directly, from my heart to theirs. I dream that my wearers, who I call my angels, recieve immense joy and confidence when wearing Beepy. My brand should be reminiscent of their childhood smells of fresh backyard breezes or warm, oven baked cookies. I hope my Beepy Bella community feels as wondrous and incredible as they truly are.
**Who are some of your artistic heroes/idols?**
I have many artistic heroes for different reasons. René Laloux, the director of Fantastic Planet, created a masterpiece. That movie has enlightened my creative practice as it is otherworldly in every way, i.e. the plot, soundtrack, characters and visuals. It’s hard to find plots and soundtracks that are as ethereal and unique as the visuals.
Another timeless favorite is Dr. Seuss. He was my first exposure to the world beyond our own. The poetry, illustrations and characters in his books allowed me to believe in a life beyond inanimate objects. My favorite book was “Oh the places you'll go” because of the colorful landscapes. As a child, I wanted with all my heart to live in a Dr. Seuss environment.
In terms of fine artists, Hubert Duprat, Carsten Holler, Ana Mendieta and Meret Oppenheim inspire me to this day. Holler’s upside mushrooms, Duprat’s pearl-encrusted caddisflies, Mendieta’s self portraits in nature and Oppenheim’s furry teacup and gloves are examples of surrealism which present another life than our own depiction of reality. I appreciate this gesture as I have always been a believer in surrealism stemming from our subconscious.
**Are you currently working on or planning anything?**
Currently, I’m working on a fairytale-inspired printed book for Beepy Bella. Calling on a diverse range of commissions, submissions and my own artwork, this book will be truly unique. Several influencers and makeup artists, such as Mi-Anne Chan and Ali Hicks, will be photographing a step-by-step guide to their fantasy makeup looks. There will be modern fairy tales, written by my followers and my own mother. My sister, Ines Lalonde, is creating a 30 minute soundtrack that goes along with the book. This project is truly one-of-a-kind as it bridges the young artist community with established fashion creatives. There is nothing like it on the market.
On the other hand, I am prepping for the next NYFW as I will be designing the jewelry for one of my favorite brands, Puppets & Puppets. Carly Mark has created a beautiful brand and is also one of the nicest humans ever. I’m very excited to melt our brains into one collection together.
**Amidst a seize of uncertainty and fear, how are you staying balanced?**
Fortunately, I have been having a positive experience during this strange, uncharted time. It’s allowed me to deep dive into my creative practice, I feel more connected to myself than ever. Living in NYC and working in a fast-paced industry, I often had a feeling of being stuck in a routine. Jewelry was always my creative outlet, but I didn’t have time to experiment as much as I wanted to. As an artist, my process heavily relies on challenging myself and having the time for trial and error. During this quarantine, I finally have the leisure to pursue new techniques and methods I wouldn’t otherwise have time to.
Switching hats, I try to stay balanced by checking in with friends and family. This pandemic has brought my family closer together, as we place more importance on Facetiming and catching up, from our various locations in the world. I feel a newfound appreciation for our modern and enabling technologies.
On that note, my digital presence has been featuring candid outfit photos from the confinement, and comfort, of my home. It’s fun because I feel like the pressure is off to create these picture-perfect photos and setups. This world pause period is actually pretty humbling and grounding.
Creative Direction: [Isabella Lalonde](https://www.instagram.com/isabellalalonde/)
Photographer: [Jean Toir](https://www.instagram.com/jean.toir/)
MUA: [Mitch Yoshida](https://www.instagram.com/mitchyoshida_mua/)
Painter: [Sean Kennedy](https://www.instagram.com/am.i.punk.yet/)
Models: [Hannah Woldetsadik](https://www.instagram.com/hannahwoldetsadik_/), [Coral Johnson](https://www.instagram.com/sadistitt/), [Brooks Ginnan](https://www.instagram.com/brooksginnan/)
Jewelry: [Beepy Bella](https://www.instagram.com/beepybella/)
[Browse her unique and ornate pieces HERE](https://beepybella.world)
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