Brenda Briand was born and raised in New Zealand and is a multidisciplinary designer and creative director.

 

With a strong background in production and development combined with forward-thinking creative design and strategy, Brenda brings the benefits and knowledge of both worlds to every unique project. She believes deeply in the brand experience and is committed to meaningful engagement between the brand and its customers. Brenda creates desirable, quality work while eliciting honest human emotions.

 

In 2009, she launched her own fashion brand under her childhood nickname, Benah, and quickly gained a cult following in Australia. Accolades include the Nominee of The Prix de Marie Claire award for best Australian Accessory Brand and the winner of the Shop Till You Drop Genius Award for Accessory Design. Her designs caught the attention of the international market, resulting in a loyal fanbase. During this time, Brenda straddled the mainline Benah brand whilst simultaneously diversifying with collections and collaborations she designed and manufactured for other fashion houses, such as elite brand Dion Lee, culminating in debuting Benah for Karen Walker at New York Fashion Week.

 

The exceptionally well-received line featured handbags and small leather goods, taking up a global presence in the USA, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, Korea, Russia, Australia, and the UK in retail giants such as Isetan Bloomingdales, Shopbop, Revolve, Anthropologie and David Jones. The collaboration with Karen Walker continued with Benah becoming the global licensee for Karen Walker handbags and leather goods.

Not just content with the traditional brand experience, Brenda conceptualized and creatively directed numerous art gallery events that featured photography and video installations as part of the Benah brand experience.  Brenda is invited to speak at numerous events such as Make Nice and Junkee Junket 2017 - An unconference bringing together Australia’s best and brightest young minds to learn, innovate, inspire and create ideas and solutions that will positively impact our lives. 

​

Through these vast experiences, Brenda has culminated over 20 years within the fashion and creative industries across ready-to-wear, denim, accessories, footwear and leather goods. With a commitment to the circular economy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Brenda is committed to strong creative direction, backed by team leadership and the ability to weave unique narratives that connect to a brand's community. 

​

In 2018, Brenda upskilled to include ESG and sustainability in her fashion industry credentials. Studing at Harvard Business School and working with brands such as P.E. Nation, Camilla, Bassike, and Nagnata, Brenda also specializes in building Environmental, Social, and Governance frameworks. From supply chain mapping and circular design to impact reporting and B-Corp Submission, Brenda's vast sustainability knowledge is built on a foundation of industry experience and empathy across the entire value chain.

 

Brenda is a vintage curator, collector, Neuroscience (NiD), and biomimicry design enthusiast committed to sustainability across all design disciplines.  With a passion for film, art, and design, Brenda is most interested in unifying these mediums with the future sustainable human experience.