Meet Linda Bui
{ On blooming through a passion project }
If you have been hooked by Glossier from their beginning, you sure must have heard of Linda Bui. As her former Product & Operations Manager, she has worked on Emily Weiss' side to build the success that we know today. On top of being an edgy beauty expert and a loveable human being, Linda has also a strong sense of fashion that (see that breathtaking & minimal Kaarem beige outfit).
Along with her Vietnamese heritage, she cultivates a strong passion and curiosity for all things pretty and has also started a side hustle combining her love for pottery and flower arrangements under the concept of ma đam, where "curated blooms" meets "one-of-a-kind ceramics ".
While finding the time to go through a side project can be a struggle, she is proving that sharing your art with the world is not only a matter of courage but also a way to thrive, grow, and get more confidence to move forward and build bigger things. Everything is a matter of giving a shot, persevering and trusting whatever you are doing because no one knows better what you are creating than yourself.
Linda has hosted us to talk about the ma đam project and is sharing what fascinates her, what pushes her forward, and what stimulates her creative process.
Tell us about you Linda!
My name is Linda Bui and by day I work in beauty on the product supply chain side of things and by night I am a ceramicist/florist.
How did you come up with the Madam.ny idea?
I have always loved plants and flowers, anything green or botanical. Flower arrangements can be pieces of art on their own, but sometimes when you receive an arrangement it comes in a very basic glass jar - it doesn't do the arrangement justice! I thought to myself, to really complete an arrangement and make a full fledged piece of art it needs a beautiful vessel, like a handmade ceramic vase. Plus, unlike the florals, the ceramics live forever, so when you've got some dead stems you can always order more from me and reuse the vase. I like the idea of giving something both ephemeral and permanent.
"I like the idea of giving something both ephemeral and permanent"
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I love organic structures that are a little messy but still beautiful. I always approach an arrangement with a plan but expect it to morph into something else. Accidental or alien creations tend to look the best. Things that don't go together at first but suddenly do. I guess I'm inspired by all the raw materials, the textures and colors, and the process of smooshing those things into something new.
What's your favorite part about what you do?
My favorite part is burying my hands in the different materials: clay and petals and whatnot. Like a lot of us, I spend most days hammering away on keyboards and screens so being alone and digging my hands into natural things is a relief.
What's the best advice you would give people who struggle to realize their dreams?
There's a secret 8th day of the week so just find it and then you'll have the extra time you need.
I'm joking, but it's important to try to make time to explore your dream, even if it's just a tiny bit of time each week. If you keep at it, you will eventually find more and more of it. I think. If I put it on my schedule then I have no choice! It's so easy to lose time so I'm always trying to find more to focus on my passions.
Where can we find you in NYC?
I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and I tend to not travel too far away if I can help it. It's not that there aren't a bunch of great things all over NYC, it's probably more so that I'm just lazy or tired! My favorite shop to browse is Bird in Williamsburg. They always carry very interesting designers. If I have free time, you can usually find me working out at either Sync Studio or East River Pilates. Oslo or Sweatshop are tops for coffee.
Take a look at Linda's beautiful arrangements and pottery on madamny.com and @madam.ny, and follow her dreamy gram @linda.bui
