Bristol is an independent bubble of diverse culture, unusual heritage, and creative arts. A friendly city where everyone knows everyone and strangers soon become friends. 

Known for its vibrant arts and nightlife scene, Bristol is the home of legendary graffiti artist Banksy and dean lane skate park paint festival UPFEST; home of Boomtown Festival HQ and home of dancehall Soundsystem sound clashes in the Jamaican community for the celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture at St Pauls Carnival.

 In the summer, pubs burst alive with garden parties, even hosting the likes of iconic reggae artist Damian Marley at the Star and Garter Pub. Then there’s the raves that pop up under bridges, in parks or unsuspecting street corners. Just this weekend jungle queen ‘Nia Archives' threw a pop up day rave under the Montpellier arches with activists ‘Save Our Scene’ in protest for government intervention to prevent the closure of grass-roots venues across the UK. It is really that surprising  Bristol has been labelled the drum and bass capital of the UK? 

Behind the scenes filming Bellisa X spotlights 'Creatives of Bristol' in Urban Jungle Tattoo Studio.

Whether you’re listening to live bands down at Bristol harbour festival, buskers in the Bear Pit or get caught in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ flash mob rave at IKEA, it’s pretty obvious music is what hugs the tight-knit communities together here.

 Amongst all the excitable chaos, it’s behind closed doors where the magic really happens- and no I’m not referring about the 7am solving WW3 with conspiracy theory trips at the afters. We’re talking about the creative hustle culture- the introverted twin dancing in the shadows of the show business. The relentless grind of the self-employed creatives navigating the turbulent balance being a free-spirited artist with an entrepreneurial mindset. Then there’s those who are stringing 3 jobs together so they can pursue their creative projects at any given interval night or day. It’s the people’s pursuit of passion over convention, what really makes Bristol so unique.

 We owe the vibrancy of the city, to the hustle of the creatives that keep the spirit alive.  

Behind the scenes filming Bellisa X spotlights 'Creatives of Bristol' in Bellisa X sewing studio.

Bellisa X is no exception. In one of the many abandoned warehouses converted to creative havens sits our sewing studio, nestled away from the raucous streets outside. In less than 30 steps out our door you can treat yourself to a fresh set of nails at Venom; get hooked up with a tattoo at Urban Jungle; tune into a live dnb mix at Born on Road; watch a film set being constructed at 345; join a commercial dance class at hideout or kick-out at the Muay Thai Gym;- all while your entire experience will be soundtracked by the melodies of brand practise!

It’s pretty wild to comprehend how all of this talent happens in wooden box studios under one tin roof. And this is just one of many places like it across the city! That’s the extraordinary beauty of the imaginative mind- there is no limit to possibility of ideas that can be dreamt and brought to life in the most unsuspecting places.

We asked our customers how to describe Bristol in 3 words:  A city alive with Buzzing, Artistic, Chaos. So, perhaps this is why Bristol is so popular?