Inspiration comes from many places. My house rabbits are apparently the main source these days. My previous rabbit, Roebling, was the star of the BrooklynBunny.com webcam from 2005-2015. Yes, I operated a live bunny cam for ten years from my home studio where I am also a graphic designer. Launched before the rise of popular social media , the bunny webcam website became an online venue for viewers to find time to relax and watch a house rabbit in its cage-free habitat. I connected with many people and we discussed topics from rabbit care, animal rights, vegetarianism and veganism. This platform is what influenced me to live a cruelty-free lifestyle. I started designing Brooklyn Bunny products to help support the website and fundraise for animal charities.
Sadly, I lost my bunny Roebling in 2015 as he lived a full life of just over 11 years. I thought that was it for my internet “pet” project. However, I adopted a new bunny and a new creative spark was ignited. Enter, Theo van Chewsburg. A young, athletic, and insanely attractive dwarf bunny. A fur pattern of black, white and brown that could give any abstract expressionist painting a run for its money. I thought it would be a great idea to create some wearable art inspired by my new furry friend. I picked up a pencil and started to sketch some abstractions based on Theo’s fabulous coat. The result is a line of hats called “van Collage,” a collaboration with knitwear designer Johanna Thompson. Together, we picked out the colors, materials, and discussed the collaging of knitted forms. The hats are meant to be abstract like Theo van Chewsburg’s fur, but we did add a few bunny-ear shapes into the mix to hint at our reference. Understanding the plight of rabbits used in the angora fur industry and cosmetic lab testing, we only use vegan and cruelty-free materials. Each hat is one-of-a-kind and always sparks a conversation when worn in public.
My hope is that this line of hats is another forward step for Brooklyn Bunny. I want to create unique bunny-themed products that promote our brand and help raise money for animal welfare organizations. Since the launch of the Brooklyn Bunny webcam in 2005, I have promoted positivity through the website and hope to continue that tradition with new products that put a smile on people’s faces and help raise awareness about both domestic and wild rabbits.
Kevin Dresser has devoted his life to fine art in many forms. A former graffiti artist turned designer, his commercial projects include designing the Band-Aid logo, signage iconography for The Museum of Modern Art, the Empire State Building and Radio City Music Hall. He calls Brooklyn Bunny his most relatable and rewarding art project. The New York Times calls Dresser “a pet-reality TV pioneer.” Follow/ shop/ support BrooklynBunny.com