Brenda Cox Giguere

Bio by Dorothy Jones 2007

Brenda Cox Giguere was born and raised in the East Bay area near San Francisco. From childhood she was encouraged by her mother to draw, paint, and create a variety of art projects including paper dolls and dioramas. With the arrival of the Barbie fashion doll she became fascinated by high fashion, and began creating her own designs on a child-sized sewing machine. Her grandmother regularly gave her back issues of VOGUE magazine to dream over, and by the time she was in third grade, she wrote in her autobiography that she wanted to be a "Paris Fashion Designer" when she grew up.

Her other principal love was always writing, and remains so today. As a high school senior she was the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, and received a merit-based journalism scholarship as she prepared to enter her local community college.

Undecided about her career path, she would for several years pursue a variety of academic interests at Diablo Valley College including Fine Art, English, Journalism, Psychology, and Apparel Design. The latter was a two year program that included pattern drafting, draping, fine dressmaking, fashion illustration, tailoring, history of costume, textiles, alterations, and millinery.

While taking these classes she worked in the college's drama department as part of the small design team creating all of the costumes for full-scale theatrical productions, and was also the drama department's head makeup artist.

Following these activities she acquired a cosmetology license, allowing her to work as a self-employed makeup artist and fingernail artist in a popular Bay Area salon. Her work in this lively and flexible profession continued for many years.

She filled her free time with a variety of creative interests including graphic arts projects, sewing and designing for herself and others, designing doll fashions, and collecting vintage clothing and jewelry.

While still working in the beauty field she developed a renewed interest in art and design. For one year she was a Practice of Art major at the University of California Berkeley, earning a place on the Dean's list for academic excellence, before choosing to return to her full time salon work.

Twenty years ago her interests and abilities brought her into the world of film and video production, a career she continues today on a part-time basis. She quickly earned a reputation as a naturally gifted artist with a keen eye, and with her gracious and hardworking attitude became a popular choice of many high-end corporate producers and directors, taking on such roles as art director, set decorator, costume designer, wardrobe stylist, production manager, makeup artist, and scriptwriter. Projects utilizing her skills include feature films, documentaries, music videos, television commercials, fashion shows, live events, web projects, and corporate image pieces, many garnering industry awards and critical acclaim.

Her lifetime interest in fashion doll design moved to a new level of passion and committment around the year 2000. Since then she has become an active participant in a close-knit international community made up of fellow enthusiasts.

During this same period she also developed a renewed interest in fiction writing. These two interests eventually converged, and now her various doll fashion projects center around the life, times, and wardrobe of a fictional muse, the heiress Reverie Larke who stars in her serialized online novel, now nearing completion. She finds this to be a delightful way to explore- and connect- a wide range of art and design projects.

This multimedia world includes everything from the suspense novel itself, Regarding Reverie, to that glamorous and enigmatic character's fashions, accessories, and furnishings. Most of these sixth-scale pieces are either ultra limited editions or one-of-a-kind offerings.

Brenda's other interests are numerous, and include creating original paper dolls and fashion illustration, collecting midcentury costume jewelry, vintage paper dolls, reading, movies, classical and ambient music, moderating several hobby groups online, exploring flea markets, and decorating. For her own quirky reasons she is a lifetime fan of Sherlock Holmes and Carroll's Alice.

She has recently completed her first spec feature film screenplay, Mirelda, and has now begun a second film spec project, Ladies' Twilight Cottage Society.

Eleven years ago she moved to San Diego, California with her husband and her calico cat. All three are Red Sox fans.

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