Over the Moon with Honeymoonmuse

We already know that Canada is the place to be when it comes to talent. Music superstars Drake and Justin Bieber hail from this country, so it comes as no surprise that fashion innovators would be there as well. Marriki Schlifer created Honey Moon Muse, an inspirational brand that caters to "vintage junkies" and "fashion mavericks" all the while keeping "fashion gems out of the landfill" and in her customers closets. She has a pixie-like spirit and expresses her style and personality with everything she wears and does. She is both an inspirational and creative individual, a superstar on the rise and someone to keep your eyes on!

Marriki Schlifer
CEO/Owner of Honeymoonmuse
British Columbia, Canada

Where did the name Honeymoonmuse come from?
When I opened my shop I had no idea it would evolve into a full-time business. I didn't give that much thought to the name! It was a play off a lovely song I liked at the time called “Honey and the Moon” by Joseph Arthur. I was debating a name change when Etsy came up with the option, but it has grown on me.

Who or what inspires you?
I used to visit loads of fashion blogs every day, but these days since I work with clothing all day I try to find my inspiration from other sources. At the moment, I am loving artist Shae Acopian Detar, who paints on top of photographs. They have a vintage feel, very beautiful. I frequent graphic designer Bri Emery’s blog (designlovefest ) and Rookiemag.com for everything else.

What is a typical day for you?
Each day is different; the one constant seems to be that I spend a lot of time online. Yesterday however, I sorted through a batch of vintage clothing that I purchased a few weeks ago. Most items I find at thrift stores aren’t ready to photograph, they either need mending (by hand or sewing machine), ironing or hand-washing beforehand. I started off this morning by packing up Etsy orders from this past weekend and make a trip to the post office. I am there every other day, the postal workers know me well! 

I am also looking forward to posting the latest fall lookbook for Honey Moon Muse on our website which I just received the (amazing!) results from our shoot in late August. Today (October 15th) also marks our 3rd anniversary on Etsy! I am busy doing promotion on our Facebook/Tumblr/Etsy pages of the big 30% off everything customer appreciation sale, which is going on until October 25th. It is also marks my 1st year of independence. It was around a year ago that I quit my day job and took the leap into becoming a full-time seller. It was one of the hardest and best decisions I have made for myself. I am so thankful to all my friends, as well as the strangers who have supported me this past year.

How would you describe your style?
I love the 80s, color, soft fabrics, layers and oversize tops. I generally wear leggings, a big t-shirt and ankle boots during the daytime. I really only dress up for special events or day outings with my boyfriend. Right now I’m loving sci-fi inspired looks, and anything velvet, gold or tie dye. My favourite vintage pieces that I keep for myself would have to be leather goods: 80s boots and flats, leather jackets, and cross body purses. They are good staples to have in your wardrobe since they are timeless and can be paired with so many options.

What makes your sense of style different than everyone else?
My own personal style is still evolving but I am getting better at narrowing it down. I have only recently come into terms with the fact that I am comfortable wearing certain shapes/cuts/fabrics and am try to stick to them. Being surrounded by vintage makes it easy to experiment with different styles, so I am getting better at cutting out what doesn’t work for me from my closet. I had a retail job for several years where the dress code was black and white, so upon leaving that job I decided to rebel a little by wearing more colour. All black is timeless and chic but enough people out there do it already. Fashion should be fun and make people smile.

How did you start your business? And how have you managed to keep your business in the forefront, since I know Etsy can be quite competitive!
I started an Etsy shop when it was still relatively new to a lot of people. There wasn't a lot of competition, yet Etsy was growing in leaps and bounds and I had no idea what I was doing. At the time I was a university student with an overflowing closet who frequented thrift stores weekly and liked the idea of getting rid of some items for extra cash. I had my first sale and it became addictive!

I treated it like a business from the beginning, analyzed what was selling and what was not, and always answered customer’s questions as soon as possible. I started doing my own accounting, with the help of my mother, who has been self-employed in some capacity or other for 20 + years. She was also a great help when I’d bring home vintage hauls. Some things I would buy for their great quality or style but could not place a date. Right away she would say - “That’s so 60s”. I've learned since then.

I also find that the Etsy community is very encouraging of one another and learned from other shops by example. I educated myself by keeping up to date on their “Quit Your Day Job” posts. It was all very inspiring to me as I was a full-time fashion design student who had no idea where I would fit into the industry upon graduation, the only thing I knew was I wanted to run my own show. I took the money I made and re-invested it into a backdrop, a better camera and a lighting kit from Ebay (not all at once). I took a Photography course as an elective in school. Photography is the most important part of a listing besides the actual product, lighting and styling being secondary factors to it. I am constantly discovering new shops on Etsy that I am blown away by the caliber of styling/photography. Some of my greatest inspiration is my competition, which I think is great because it makes want to be better at what I do.

Trend you're loving right now?
Burgundy and mustard for fall! Kimonos are lovely, high waisted shorts, chunky 90's boots, and anything photo-realistic print.

A phrase you use wayyyy too often?
“No big deal.” Ugh. I don’t know where it came from but I use it way too much.

One word that describes you?
Pixie.

Favorite quotes?

"If I can't dance, I don't want to be a part of your revolution." - Emma Goldman
“Be a warrior instead of a worrier.” Kelly Cutrone

Do you take your own photographs? If you do what kind of camera do you use?

I do take my own photos. I use a tripod and a Canon G12. The screen flips around so I can see how the photo are turning out and I use the self-timer on it.

Any additional information you'd like to share??
Yeah! Follow Honey Moon Muse across the interwebs...

Website - I style lookbooks with local models and photographers every so often. We’ll be posting the fall lookbook soon!
Etsy Shop - We are having a 30% off sale Oct.15 – 25th to celebrate our 3rd anniversary, so drop by for major savings!

A extra big thankeee to Marriki for letting me interview her and for sharing this invaluable information! Wishing you all the best!