Carolina Herrera: Classic Sophisticate

                                 When one hears the name "Carolina Herrera," the image which immediately springs to mind is that of a sophisticated woman who always  looks impeccable,  whether she is attending an awards show, a party, or her own wedding. Herrera's aesthetic consists primarily of gowns and dresses, with an emphasis on construction, tailoring, and bold color choices. Her work is worn by such celebrities as Renee Zellweger, Katie Holmes, Amy Adams, and Salma Hayak, as well as countless other women (including her own daughter, Carolina Jr.).

       Herrera did not enter into the design business until she was in her mid-forties, after, nymag.com reports "receiving positive feedback on a test collection she created in 1980." (1) Since then, she has had a difficult time being taken seriously by the fashion community, not only  because of her late entry into the world of design, but because she was viewed as simply a socialite dabbling in design. Despite the opinions of early detractors, Herrera's company has had success and an unexpected  longevity,  expanding  to include both  fragrance and accessories lines. When she was interviewed by Joan Juliet Buck for Vogue in the August 2004 issue, Herrera explained her method of designing this way: " 'Fashion,...must reveal a woman's beauty and mask her weak points...I want to please myself and the strangers who buy my clothes.'" (210) That same year, Herrera received the CFDA Women's Designer of the Year Award  for her stunning artistry in clothing, and her name has since become synonymous with "classic elegance" (Berne 188). In addition to receiving such a prestigious award, Herrera has also been the subject of a book, Carolina Herrera,(Assouline 2004) chronicling her rise from life in Venezuela to a career in fashion in New York. One of her four daughters, Patricia, now works with Herrera on her collections, and, along with her sisters, admires her mother's "patience, her neatness, her calm, her sense of humor." (Buck 211) Herrera is an inspiration to the woman who wishes to be both feminine and flirty, without having to sacrifice sophistication. Even if one cannot afford her clothes, one can at least appreciate her artistic vision of bringing beautiful designs to life.