Betty Brand FAQ
Founder & Designer of Betty Belts, Donna von Hosslin dishes her A’s to some very important Q’s about official Betty Brand designs made for Ocean Lovers®.
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GENUINE BETTY DESIGNS
I founded this company based on the inspiration I received from the Ocean while living my life around and in it as closely as possible. It has motivated and directed a large amount of my design concepts. Yes, the designs are Ocean inspired. Because it has given me so much joy, those concepts were turned into tangible works of Art so that I could share the joy and wonder the Sea offers.
My designs are also based in other aspects of Nature as well as inspiring women of the past and those of the present. I have a strong background in the Arts and am constantly referring to that as I create new works.
Firstly, there are very few truly original works. Even though we may not be aware of it, much of what we see in the world today is a product of a prior architect or artist’s life work.
Secondly, I would never copy someone’s work and pass it off as being my own original design. That is highly unethical and yes, I have seen some people and companies do that very thing. In fact one of my most frequently copied designs is the wave design (circa 2003) and more particularly, the circle wave (circa 2006).
Thirdly, there is that saying which states that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. But when someone copies one of my designs and states for all the world to hear and see, that it is their own original design, that is stealing. It is not a good standard to live a life by.
I come up with the names for my works based on what I see in the Ocean and Nature, and from studying the lives of remarkable women throughout History as well as those known by me personally. In fact, this is why so many of the women of Team Betty have namesake designs in our line. I want to honor them, their ethos and accomplishments.
Good question. We would probably need some ocean time together.
One way is to send me your or the other candidate’s story, and we can go from there!
Yes I do, and have done quite a few collabs over the years. Recently however, way to many ideas and not enough time!
For me Authenticity is all about my-our intentions to be true to the original philosophy of the company. That is why from design, to production by our artisans all the way through to us placing our work in your hands we do our best to live up to this motto: “Made with Dignity”. But it goes far beyond that, really. We simply care a lot about what we do and our impact on this planet and people.
- Authenticity has become a catch phrase in recent years that has been hijacked by brands who endeavor to seem more genuine than they truly are.Surf culture’s assimilation into mainstream fashion is a really good example of how this happens. The cachet and imagery of the lifestyle we live is commodified by brands run by people who don’t necessarily have any personal connection to our history in the sport, let alone the many other things we as Ocean people consider to be significant.
- I’ve been immersed in it for decades now. When I started Betty Belts, the goal was to stay in the water and that’s exactly what I did.The reason that this matters to the people who advocate for and are fans of the brand itself is that it helps to unify us all and create a loving, inspired relationship with a healthy lifestyle and the beautiful blue heart of our planet.This matters. It makes us better as a group and as individuals.
It means, through our business practice we enrich and sustainably support our cherished relationships and environment on every level.
You'll find more in-depth information about how Betty Belts practices this on our blog.
Here are a couple great go-to articles:
