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Taya Bonicos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tayisiya "Taya" Bonicos (née Kostenko) is a Norwegian fashion designer who is the founder and creative director of Serena-B, an Oslo-founded international luxury handbag brand.

Early life and education

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Bonicos was born Taisiya Kostenko in Norway. She holds a bachelor's degree in international hospitality business and a master's degree in international business.[1]

In 2014, Bonicos placed third in The Big Pitch, an annual enterprise competition held in Cambridge, United Kingdom, for her business concept Whole Pleasure, a natural-ingredient ice cream brand.[2]

Career

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Before founding Serena-B, Bonicos worked at a high-end concierge agency in London that operated within the fashion industry and completed a year-long internship at the department store Harrods. She has also held roles in event management and the film industry.[1]

In 2020, Bonicos founded Serena-B, an international luxury handbag brand based in Oslo, which is named after her elder daughter.[1] Its handbags are produced in Spain by artisans using leather sourced from a fourth-generation family-owned tannery.[1]

In March 2023, Bonicos introduced Serena-B to the Middle Eastern market through a private launch event at the Dubai Edition hotel during the inaugural Dubai Fashion Week. The event was co-hosted with the luxury retailer Etoile La Boutique, which subsequently became the brand's exclusive Middle Eastern stockist through its flagship store at the Mall of the Emirates.[3] In Norway, Serena products have been sold through the Oslo department store Ferner Jacobsen and Steen og Strom, as well as its own flagship store.[1]

In August 2024, Serena-B was among 34 brands selected for the official programme of Oslo Runway, Norway's principal fashion week.[4] Later that month, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway was photographed carrying a fuchsia Serena Liten handbag while travelling to her wedding to Durek Verrett in Geiranger.[5][6]

Personal life

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Bonicos is married to British filmmaker Varon Bonicos, best known for directing A Man's Story. The couple have four children.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Kan det nye norske luksusveskemerket Serena ta opp kampen om kundene?".
  2. ^ "There's Gnome mistake in Big Pitch final".
  3. ^ "Highlights of Dubai Fashion Week".
  4. ^ "These are the 34 brand's participating in Oslo Runway 2024". Vogue Scandinavia. June 11, 2024.
  5. ^ "Alt om antrekkene fra Märtha og Dureks bryllupsfeiring". August 29, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ubetalelig pr".