Meet Bernie Gracieuse | artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bernie Gracieuse and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bernie, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I come from a lineage of people who put meaning in the word freedom, being a Haitian person there’s a large history of resilience, strength, creativity, community and humanity. That history is something that I carry with me through my work.

Although I have lived in Canada all my life my mother always made sure to remind me of where I come from and those who came before me, those reminders have always been in the forth front of my mind when it comes to my artistry.

As I grew up and encountered people who became my chosen family I have also learned valuable lessons from them — patience, understanding, grace.

I’ve internalized the values and lessons instilled in me by my mom and my community and ultimately I am pieces of each person I encounter, they mirror me and I mirror them. And the things I create are simply pieces of them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I always have a hard time describing myself let alone what I do, I fear being confined into a box… But so far what I have shared with the world has been primarily my styling work, my writing work [from poetry to articles featured on various platforms] and my collaborative podcast titled ‘The Fashion Faux Pas Podcast’.

I am so honoured that I have been able to work with a variety of creatives especially in the fashion industry and I am always so excited to have conversations with those people both onset and offset – Each of those conversations have always brought me a fresh perspective.

I started gaining an interest in fashion at a young age with fashion sketching, I would spend hours sketching different garments and eventually I learned how to sew and in middle school I volunteered in a fashion show and things aligned from there with internships and opportunities to style folks for their projects. Fast forward to today I have been able to work some countless sets for various brands and productions.

Writing was something I have always done I just never thought of myself as a ‘writer’ and on the first day that I met my, now friend Maya Spoken she told me something that real changed my perspective on writing so I always credit her for not only sharing with me her philosophy when it comes to writing but also for always pushing me to write — and late last year I was published in a poetry book along with her and many other writers.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I would bring them to Mano Cornuto, it’s a lovely Italian restaurant with the best staff and even more amazing food and I would also bring them to Crew Cafe it is one of my favourite Cafe in Montreal, I am a sucker for aesthetic!

Honestly just walking in downtown Montreal you will find a fun activity, a beautiful gallery or boutique.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

There is so many people I have encountered, worked with or yet to work with that I always want to make sure have their flowers, the work they create but also for the impact they have had on me — Maya Spoke (poet, mother, friend), Jessie Simmons (Musical artist, friend), Ogo Jonathan (photographer and one of my favourite people to create with), Francois Mittins (the photographer who has had the biggest impact on me in the beginning of my career), Lia Kloud (an artist like no other, truly admire her!), Alexander Nate (One of my favourite musical artist and now friend), Maridalia Moreno (friend and my sometime muse) Yasmine Dinar (friend, model and my partner in alignment) and lastly Yasmine Isaya (friend, and partner in crime and in this industry).

These are some of the people who have played a huge role in my journey so far, they are each a piece of me and if I am just half of who they are and what they create, it is the highest honour.

Website: https://www.kingberniee.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingberniee/

Other: My podcast – https://www.instagram.com/thefashionfauxpaspodcast/

Image Credits
Ogo Jonathan, Eddie Guo, Jessica Grenon, Jin Baiye