We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nonny Perry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nonny below.
Nonny, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
”If darkness is what we’ve having, let it be extravagant.” – Jane Kenyon
I’ve always felt I was born clutching a bleeding heart in one hand and a leather dress in the other.
A lifetime of depression and sadness has lived in my bones, so deeply rooted and tangled in emotion and creativity. My imagination has always been my escape; an endless flight soaring to deliciously dark fantasy worlds. In these worlds I’m my own muse- dressed in my own fashion sketches, dripping in the glamour and tears of poetic darkness. A world where life is a stage and I’m the performer, never wanting my applause and encore to end.
Throughout my life the desire to want both basic and extravagant things I wasn’t privileged enough to have led to insufferable pain, catapulting my depression stronger and harder. I learned the only way to find these things outside of my mind was to create them. And I leaned in on every ounce of creativity to get there.
I was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder in 2019.
I was 32 when the red carpet of my life finally rolled out.
Over the years I’ve battled lows and mania so extreme I wasn’t sure I’d make it out alive. I hurt in ways I never knew could shatter. I’ve experienced pain and shame that’s corroded by bones and bruised my soul. My life wasn’t only split between reality and my fantasy worlds anymore- it was split between using my creativity to heal or letting the monsters of my mind win. Manic Darling is the manifestation of that creativity.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I design clothing and accessories for my clothing line Manic Darling- the intersection where art, fashion, and insanity meet.
A brand named from the soft and severe juxtaposition of my own life in an aesthetic category I call “sexy goth streetwear”.
Manic is defined as a state of unreasonable excitement or euphoria; an abnormal propensity for desire; heightened interest in danger. Derived from Mania- a mental illness. Darling is defined as an affection form of address or beloved. Manic Darling is the embodiment of both.
I create pieces to empower emotion, embrace darkness, and celebrate the human heart. I make each piece from a point of view using my own personal journey with Bipolar as the artform and inspiration. For example, an oversized pair of pants painted to feel manic. Fabric manipulations such as ripping to emulate the uneasiness of my insides feeling clawed at. Soft, silky skirts to emulate ethereal romance. Revealing, erotic pieces to marry emotion and desire. Crosses signifying the battle between the saints and sinners in all our minds.
My goal for my brand is not only to create wearable art but to help others pull back the curtains of their own fantasy worlds. Each Manic Darling piece is an invitation to come on stage and scream your own authenticity at the top of your lungs.
Manic Darling is the permission to let the sin creep in and the mania take over.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Taking your gut and heart off DND.|
If I wouldn’t have listened to my heart and gut, I wouldn’t have made the moves to higher vibrations- personally and professionally.
Curiosity. Always asking questions and engaging in real conversation. Finding what makes people tick.
Today everyone does and shares everything behind a screen. We’ve lost authenticity with the edit button. Real conversation, real emotion, real human connection.. that’s what life is about.
The best area of knowledge is always yourself. Diving into and studying feelings, understanding likes and dislikes, finding the things that give you goosebumps, figuring out how to heal, discovering your own voice… That knowledge is the roadmap to understanding where you belong in this world.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Minneapolis has such a great art scene and I’m always looking for creative people to hang, vibe, and learn from. I find so much inspiration from being around any kind of artist.
I love the idea of collaborating with anyone as passionate as I am- whether that be polishing up my welding skills, painting, or collabing streetwear designs to life. I like the ideas of joint pop-ups if the styles fit together too.
Find me on insta @manicdarlingxo or my website! xoxo
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.manicdarling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manicdarlingxo
Image Credits
Jessica Ramaker
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
