Q1 At what age did you encounter your interest in fashion design? Where did you study? And what was your major specialization?
I've been interested in fashion at a very young age. My mom was big into Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld, so It always had a big influence on me. Plus she co-owned a high-end kids store in Miami, which I was always dressed from head to toe in all kinds of things. I studied textile design at Rhode Island School of Design. I had an elective called Hand Knitting Machine Techniques and from then on I've been knitting ever since. My company had been and always will be in knits.

Q2 Who would you say has been the most influential person in your life?
My mother, she passed when I was 16 years old, I've dedicated my life to textiles and fashion ever since. I grew up with a weaving loom in my basement, I wanted to learn to use it but she was ill, so I started taking night courses in weaving at University of Miami and continued my education at RISD.

Q3 Let's talk about your design. What do you think is the most important element?
The most important factor is that the material is knit other than that, I use geometric shapes for patterns instead of the traditional methods of garment patterning and something I've done since I started was tubular design, which has very little sewn edges. And thirdly is the yarn combinations used. The fall collection is a new venture in simplifying the yarns and working with the shapes.

Q4 Could you tell us what does your average day entail?
It's a tiny company, myself and one assistant, Eva Rodriguez. Between the both of us we knit, design, package, label. Then I also go to my factory for the pieces we make to order for our boutiques, call for the yarns that are missing, we pretty much order yarn one by one when we need them. I also do the sales, pr, marketing, and graphic design and what ever else needs to happen on any given day.

Q8 Do you have any current fashion obsessions?
I'm big into shoes, always.

Q9 Favorite place to see art?
I am very lucky to live in Miami, where one of the biggest contemporary Art Fairs, Art Basel comes to town in December. With this, many others have popped up such as Scope, NADA, Art Miami and I believe there are about 23 fairs in total last year. I am very involved with the art community here and participate when I'm asked to do so, by costuming, sewing, or just attending the shows that open here year round too. I love to travel and try to fit the museums into my travels as well.

Q10 Would you like to add anything for the Japanese fans?
I LOVE JAPAN! I miss it very much and hope to go back one day soon.

Q5 What projects are you currently working on?
Right now I have been working on a swim collection, that is not meant for swimming. I call it the "Not so Swim" collection. I live in Miami, so its hot and people generally wear very little clothes and have loads of outdoor parties, where no one swims. They just want to show as much as possible and look fabulous! SO I came up with this collection. I started doing pieces that are knit body suits, and they've been used in Sunglass Hut Ads, and pulled for a lot of magazine editorials in the past. This is the first time I'm actually working on it as a collection.
I'm also working on my spring collection which is made in Peru with my tubular techniques of knitting in Organic and natural dyed Pima cotton. It's going to be a very lovely collection.

Q6 Biggest fashion faux-pas?
I'm not sure there is such a thing.