Everyone’s got that one friend. You know who we mean. The one who manages to look effortlessly stylish no matter what’s going on, the one who can make every situation fun without even trying. The friend who’s always got a magnetic pull but never seems like she’s trying too hard, who’s fun and charming without ever feeling overbearing, who is completely and uniquely herself.

If that friend were a clothing line, they’d be Dusen Dusen.

Dusen Dusen’s designs are patterned and playful; they’re bold and flattering all at once. As a teenager in Washington D.C., Ellen Van Dusen began searching thrift stores, to seek out clothes whose patterns she liked, and altered them into one-of-a-kind pieces. In college, she completed  a self-directed program at Tufts University, where she studied the psychological impact different types of design could have on the brain. (Not a bad set of knowledge to have when you’re a designer, and  She went on to work with renowned designer Mary Meyer, but in 2010, she left to work full-time on designing and selling her own clothing. Now, in 2014, the Brooklyn-based designer runs Dusen Dusen, her fashion label that consistently manages to impress us with its bold designs, bright colours, and playful patterns and has been featured on Rookie, Refinery29, Racked, The Fader and MTV.

This Wavy Grid dress is the perfect example of the way Dusen Dusen blends form, function and gorgeous design:

A perfect match with these Circle Sunglasses:

The long sleeve Rocks Sweatshirt Dress features two smart patch pockets:

and this Denim Kate dress combines classic colours with a hint of sweet pattern:

This Pink Rocks tee combines cute colours with strong design:

and this Navy Grid Denim Swing Skirt is just plain dreamy: