I've never been shy on this site about my genuine respect and love for fashion designers. Respect for the beautiful art they create and love for those creations themselves. So it was such an honor to be given the chance to interview the incredibly talented, and extremely sweet, fashion designer Althea Harper for Ladylike Chic.
Speaking about her vibrant, pattern-filled Spring/Summer 2013 collection, first introduced to me at this year's C.O.D.E. event, Althea was inspired by landscapes of all stripes. While traveling through the rolling hills and exotic waters of locales like Thailand and Spain, Althea took the photographs which would eventually become the hallmark textiles of this collection. She used a keen eye to choose three pattern families to keep the collection from looking busy and balanced them with her razor sharp tailoring and easy elegance.
When speaking with Althea about her newest collection, I was struck by her incredible love of woman and her design aesthetic of making every woman feel beautiful. She designs her pieces to not only fit a range of body types, but also a range of styles and personalities. As Althea said, "you are more than one thing." It was refreshing to hear (and see) a designer create pieces for the women who wear them, not for an ideal.
Since starting her line in 2009, and working on it exclusively since 2010, Althea has grown a steady and loyal following of fashion lovers and celebrities. We may even get to see the Spring/Summer 2013 collection on a red carpet soon. In the meantime, check out her full Spring/Summer 2013 collection here and head one of the boutiques around the country where the Althea Harper line is sold.
Thank you to Althea for taking the time to speak with me and giving me an insight into how she strives to make every woman, no matter their size, look and feel beautiful.
Photo courtesy of Althea Harper.
