Rochelle Rodriguez {fashion lookout}
Monday, May 19th, 2008
As a young girl Rochelle Rodriguez spent her younger years infatuated with all things fashion. From playing dress up in her grandmothers closet to her intense studying of Vogue and “Style with Elsa Clinch” on CNN on Saturday mornings Rochelle made sure to surround herself with fashion inspiration. Her inspiration paid off and she later found herself graduating from one of the top Fashion Institutes on the map, FIDM(Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising). Now Rochelle is amongst the best of the best in fashion.
Her pieces have been featured on celebrities such as Kat Sadler of E! The Daily 10, actress Erin Cummings, and on the hit show “So You Think You can Dance”. Her pieces can be found all over the country and you may find her in rotation in the display windows of Kitson, one of L.A’s hottest fashion spots. I particularly like her use of pattern, color, and flirty cuts; and the fact that her pieces appeals to real women with real curves makes it all the better! Rochelle takes out a bit of her time to chat with us about her fashion inspiration.
JuBella: What is your design process like & how do you gain creative inspiration for your collections?
Rochelle: In a perfect world, once every couple of months I would take off for some place exotic and listen to the rustle of the trees to move me a direction for the next season. Until that day, I retreat to my local coffee shop, Aroma Café, with my design book, pencil, ipod, and usually dozens of scrap pieces of paper with messy drawings on them from prior weeks creative moments. It’s basically like a puzzle and I just try and put the pieces together to make a collection that is interesting, unique and most of all wearable. I pull a lot of inspiration from the 30’s-late 60’s. However, it is subtle, whether I am using a style of a sleeve or idea of a neckline, I try to take bits and pieces and then add my own flare.
JuBella: Favorite magazines/ books / resources that provide you fashion inspiration?
Rochelle: Vogue, by far. I have 2 subscriptions. One so I can tear out pages and 1 to collect. In 50 years from now my dark wood library will be a library of Vogues. Also, any coffee table books focusing on women throughout the 20th century.
JuBella: What do you love most about what you do?
Rochelle: “I feel like a million bucks in this dress!” That phrase is the reason I am in this business. Whether it is a friend, a stranger, or even myself, I love being able to design something that makes a woman feel good in what she is wearing. Empowerment is an idea that can change a person to the very core. If a woman feels empowered, even for the short time she is wearing a great dress, then, chances are she will continue to do things that empower her. It is a cycle, if you think you look good, you suddenly start to feel good, you start to feel like you can do anything, you start to live life a little more, and before you know it, you are this bundle of happy walking around helping other people feel happy. Then one day you look up, and right before your eyes there is peace on earth. Perhaps, it’s silly to think a dress could change the world, but it could.
JuBella: How would you describe your style and the style of your line?
Rochelle: I design for me, and all the different personalities that make up Rochelle Rodriguez. I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. I am simply designing wearable dresses for the modern woman. The style is chic and sexy. There are dresses for those days when you feel flirty and carefree, for days when you need to make a good impression, for first dates, for the first time you’ve seen “him” since he broke up with you, for going to weddings and parties, and even for those “fat” days.
JuBella: Products, accessories, gadgets, & things you never leave home without?
Rochelle: My phone-Tmobile Dash, my brand new oversized Gucci shades, The Secret, and my credit cards.
JuBella: What are some of your biggest challenges when it comes to being a fashion designer?
Rochelle: Somewhere between finishing the design/concept and actually getting paid would be the biggest challenge. Designing is the best part, it is the most effortless part of this business for me. Unfortunately, that is only about 25% of the time. Sourcing materials was the most challenging task for me at the beginning. Challenges appeared as I started to look for fabric, then I would find the perfect type, only to find out I had to order 1000 yards. By now, I’m starting to get the hang of it. Just in time for a new set of challenges…payment. I have been fortunate enough to have one of the best sales people in the industry on my team, Kristen Aguilera at the Park Showroom. She has taken me from nothing to over 40 accounts in 4 months time. The challenge here is fine tuning which stores are worth moving forward. Most people don’t think about what happens after a designer has been given 50 new orders for 50 new stores. Over half those stores will have some sort of credit problem. Challenge.
JuBella: Goals you would like to achieve in the future with your line?
Rochelle: I would like to be the Target guest designer in 5 years. I would like to have 4 “Rochelle Rodriguez” boutiques in various cities across the US. Most importantly, I want my line to help women of all shapes and sizes to learn to love what they have. I want my line to have a positive influence on the way women feel about their bodies. I have drop dead gorgeous friends that can walk by the mirror and frown as if they are looking into one of those crazy mirrors at the circus. It is a rather large task I know, what with stick thin “celebutants” and models, but I hope to make some sort of impact on the world that if you can just “Love the body your in” you may actually find that you are already perfect.
JuBella: Favorite shops for fashion?
Rochelle: I love Intermix at North Park and Joile at Victory Park in Dallas, TX. I love Neiman Marcus and Barney’s, it is where I would like to die and go to heaven. I love Rumor in Sherman Oaks, CA, it is two levels of fun filled fashion. Online you can find lots of goodies at JoiaStyleStudio.com and HotterThaHollywood.com
JuBella: Favorite music/bands/albums for your fashion shows?
Rochelle: I have a great set of musicians in my close circle of friends. The hot new band Vintage (Vintage Band) and sultry sounds of Jenny Franklin of Some Strange are sure to be heard at my shows.
