Yin Yang - Q&A with Bodega by V
During quarantine, many businesses had the opportunity to blossom and Bodega by V is one of my newest favorites. Run by Veronica Torres, 21, out of her NYU dorm. She hand crafts lovely corsets and her latest design is the Yin Yang corset. I had the opportunity to speak with Torres about her brand and her brand new garment.
Photo & Styled by Nicol Maciejewska
Q: What was your inspiration behind the Yin Yang collection?
A: “Whenever I’m designing a collection, I think a lot about my influences as a Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Chinese woman. I’m inspired by the stories of my family, and let that bleed into my work. I created the pattern for the Yin Yang corset after a dream I had. I woke up and immediately sketched the design. Over the next six months, I would test the pattern, fabrics, and hardware; revising and repeating until the fit was perfect. The collection is about balance, harmony, and duality. Informed by my own journey to be mindful and at peace with myself. It’s been surreal to share the collection with everyone, and to see it sell out within 24 hours. I cannot wait to share more!”
Q: What inspired you to start your brand?
A: “Being stuck in the house during quarantine, I was in desperate need of an outlet, a distraction, and a reason to be creative.”
Q: When did you learn to sew?
A: “My mom taught me how to sew by hand when I was little. I used to make little outfits for my dolls and mend things around the house. Last summer, during the mask shortages, my mom spent days sewing masks to donate and taught me how to use her sewing machine so I could help. It really felt full circle to be back home with her, learning something new.”
Q: Why did you choose the name Bodega by V?
A: “Throughout my life bodegas have been a place of comfort, nostalgia, and necessity. I think of family and warmth: my mom ran her own grocery in Santo Domingo and in Queens my cousins and I would run to the corner store to get ice cream and candy; and now living in NYC, bodegas are the first and last stops of some of my favorite days ever. I want the brand I build to emulate that energy; a place of comfort and memory, a one stop shop for all your goods.”
Q: Are you working on any new ideas?
A: I have so many things on the way. There’s something very special in the works for the Yin Yang collection. Stay tuned!
Photo & Styled by Nicol Maciejewska