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What makes a purchase “worth it”? The answer is different for everybody, so we’re asking some of the coolest, most shopping-savvy people we know—from small-business owners to designers, artists, and actors—to tell us the story behind one of their most prized possessions.
Who?
As costume designer for the hit HBO show Euphoria, Heidi Bivens knows a thing or two about curating personal style. With an inimitable talent for telling stories through wardrobe, the designer and stylist (who will soon add director and producer to her résumé) has been credited for creating some of today’s most memorable on-screen style moments. Think: Euphoria’s infamous frenemy duo Maddy and Cassie clad in vintage Jean Paul Gaultier and Moschino, or putting Matthew McConaughey in UGG boots for A24’s 2019 stoner comedy The Beach Bum. “One of my main goals with any kind of design, whether through perspective or sourcing, is to be able to bring the creative vision together in a way that you wouldn’t see anywhere else,” Heidi says.
Naturally, her taste in home decor is as sharp as her instincts for predicting fashion’s biggest trends. “I’ve always been interested in design,” Heidi admits. “I’ve said many times that if I wasn’t doing costumes and styling, I would want to do interiors.” In a career that’s taken her all over the world to work with renowned directors and clients like Chanel, Heidi’s been able to remain true to her belief that great design can come from anywhere. “You can find inexpensive, quality things that look high-design,” she asserts. “I think it’s really fun to keep your options open and not be too close-minded—not everything has to be expensive.”
What?
When it comes to furniture, Heidi has a soft spot for anything BDDW—and it all started with a showstopping table from the brand that’s been with her through multiple spaces. “If I could have all BDDW furniture, I would,” she insists. In addition to the maple and walnut dining table, Heidi’s growing collection of the brand’s wares includes a tripod lamp, one of a kind coffee table, and a lacquer base sofa. “Meeting [BDDW founder and designer] Tyler Hays some years ago was a real dream of mine,” she recalls. “He’s one of my very favorites for furniture design.” For the rest of her space, Heidi purposefully chose pieces from both established designers as well as inexpensive brands and vintage stores. “My ideal style is pretty eclectic,” she explains. “I like to be creative with sourcing so when I bring all the elements together, hopefully it feels like a fresh perspective.”
When?
Heidi won the table, her first-ever purchase from the brand, during BDDW’s 10-Year Anniversary Silent Auction in 2011. “I got a really great deal on that table,” she says. Although the brand’s auctions have since moved publicly online, at the time, bidding took place at the Crosby Street store as “a word of mouth” affair, as Heidi describes it. Hearing about the auction from a friend who knew she was BDDW-obsessed, Heidi has a theory as to how she scored the grail piece. “It was near the front where you check in and there was other furniture put on top of this table, so I think that people didn’t realize that it was up for auction,” she suggests. “I was really surprised when they contacted me and said I won it—that was such a thrill.”
Where?
A Virginia native, Heidi moved to New York in the ’90s to attend Hunter College where she studied journalism and filmmaking. It was during this period that her love affair with all things BDDW began. Stopping by the brand’s flagship store in Soho, she recalls the first time she (unofficially) met Tyler. “I remember when I was very young and not making much money yet, I went into the store and he was there.” Not realizing he was the owner until much later, Heidi could feel Tyler’s pieces were special—particularly a bed frame with wood inlay and hidden drawers. “I dreamed of having it, but it was more than I could afford at the time—I remember asking if I could do layaway,” she laughs.
