When model and BCRC client Jane Kendrick glides across the Art Bra Austin runway on June 2, she’ll be channeling Bonnie Parker, that rebel with a criminal cause who joined Clyde Barrow for a string of Depression-era robberies. Jane’s daughter-in-law, Aurora Kendrick, chose this iconic figure as the inspiration for “Bonnie,” the art bra she designed as a salute to strong women for Art Bra Austin 2018. Aurora admires Bonnie’s seeming faithfulness and love but, more than anything, it is her rebel streak that resonates.
It was Aurora who first encouraged Jane to take the plunge and model for Art Bra Austin last year. Jane was more than a little apprehensive, not knowing what to expect. To show her support for Jane and stretch her own creative muscles, Aurora offered to design Jane’s bra. Then, as she watched her mother-in-law revel in the love and support, the camaraderie and community that is Art Bra Austin, Aurora knew the two of them would be a part of this extraordinary event again. The surprise is that these two women, who often bake together and trundle sweets home to their husbands, will be the ones bringing the 1930s gangster vibe to Art Bra Austin 2018.
Aurora, a transplant from Chicago, has created a stunning tribute to strong women with “Bonnie.” The asymmetric off-shoulder design sets the tone — sultry and a bit bold. You can hear the tinkling of a piano in a smoke-filled joint, and can imagine the bartender’s eyes fixed on the door Bonnie and Clyde just opened.
Hand-sewn pearls like stars swirling across a winter sky give this bra a timeless, ethereal quality. And the pièce de résistance? A cascade of intricate origami flowers, so exquisitely arranged, you could almost miss that perfect irony. What is that most familiar pattern on those petals? One dollar bills. This bouquet carries no crisp floral fragrance, but the scent of cold cash. The overall effect? It’s a glorious mix of style and wit, gangster daring and elegance. Bonnie Parker would steal this bra in a flash and never look back.
Who is the woman who will bring “Bonnie” to life, sporting a beret and carrying a toy pink Tommy gun? Fourteen years after being diagnosed with a rare and devastating breast cancer, Jane Kendrick is healthy and thriving. She is forever grateful to BCRC, her lifeline to courage, strength and forever friends. For Jane, the success of Art Bra Austin is essential because all women deserve BCRC’s oasis of support.
With any luck this is just the beginning of Jane and Aurora Kendrick’s Art Bra Austin spree. A partnership forged with courage and creativity, love and support, Aurora and Jane are the epitome of what Art Bra Austin means for so many women, every day of the year. If we can just get these two to turn their backs on the baking life now and again, perhaps we can lure this dazzling duo back to Art Bra Austin again. Today, let’s raise a toast to “Bonnie,” to Jane and to Aurora Kendrick — BCRC’s very own rebels with a cause.
