Sometimes when I’m scouring the Internet or mags for inspiration I need only look to my friendship circle for the true magic. I’m honoured and proud to say I have an insane creative crew around me, and within that posse are stems of other peeps pushing their talents to new dimensions, all on the hunt for that ‘DIY, I’m my own boss’ mentality. One such gem that runs rings around the fashion industry is the super stylin’ Monique Belzunce, or Mon as she’s known to all her mates. Easily mistaken on the streets for UK singer slash rapper M.I.A., Mon has turned her fashionistic charisma into a full-time business with the bedrock boomin’ Dem Bones vintage store. I spoke with her recently to get the low down on how it all came about and how a new muse and pop up shop is taking Dem Bones to the next level!

Mon's love affair for hunting and hoarding started at a very early age. A sucker for all things creative and artsy meant that nothing could always be made into something. "This was generally my motto, even as a young girl every thrift store I entered there was always some sort of patterned fabric, clothing or a stack of magazines I would pick up to use to cut and paste into my own zine" 

Introduced to the hunt by her artist mother, it was on. "I'm happy that I was so influenced by my mother’s style, creative ability and imagination. Over the years she has taught me that you never know what you might find, even on hard rubbish days!" With this mentality the collection began. "Surrounded by fabrics, sewing, painting and knitting both my mother and my dressmaker grandmother inspired so much of who I am today". 

The Camberwell Market is the site of Dem Bones Vintage's inception, as Mon has been setting up stores and stalls since she was a wee snapper. "I realised after all of this time of personally collecting and selling my wares this could be something I might like to develop further".

Due to a healthy obsession with extreme adventure she shied away from committing to long-term study. Chasing winters snowboarding, immersing herself into faraway cultures and being inspired by the gypsy life was and still is her passion ("I enjoy packing up and going") which has helped so much with her buying trips for DBV locally and overseas. She still finds the time to keep up with current industry knowledge by enrolling in various fashion, management and merchandising subjects. "I enjoy learning at a 'jump in the deep end' rate, really hands on and intense".

Having worked within high-end streetwear fashion and styling shoots for Lifelounge mag and the like, her heart is still about finding the next buried bone. "I have enjoyed the hunt more than anything, the adrenalin and intensity that comes with the buying territory is inspiring. I was keen to move into something that supported sustainable practises and recycling, something with a little more soul." So she began to work for local hunters Horrawood vintage where she began sourcing stock for the shop. It was here that Dem Bones started to become a reality. 

By late 2009 Mon was running a regular weekly stall at Camberwell market, updating a new blog and taking over Facebook. Now after two years of many late nights, and countless hours of hunting and sourcing she has a regular following at Camberwell Market and online. 

She has just returned back from a USA buying trip where she individually hand-picked her new collection "Create and Conquer" which is inspired by plants, bones and flowers. All of her styling energy is now put into DBV's lookbook and aesthetic. The current shoot is all about unleashing creativity and being whoever you want to be. Shot by the talented Michael Danischewski she says, ‘I'm really lucky to have such a great team on board and am really looking forward to the DBV adventure, with the new face of DBV Seala Oisín Lokollo-Evans, we are all systems go here at DBV HQ. Let the adventure begin!"

Dem Bones Vintage will be holding a pop-up shop with Hello Sailor Vintage Fair held at Melbourne Central this Friday and Saturday. For all of the updates head to DBV facebook page or website.