Inspired by the works of fashion designers like Oscar De La Renta, designer Estrella Cristina's new line Berqclé is a perfect balance of femininity and boldness. After graduating from Cornell University in textile design, designer Estrella Cristina interned with the notable and sought-after New York City-based designer Han Feng.

Berqclé- Estrella Cristina Pt.2

Justin Howard - What inspired the Berqclé look?


Was it a moment in time?

Estrella Cristina - You know, outside of music, I have taken inspiration from things like world travel and different time periods. I specifically had in mind the flair and vivaciousness of Latin culture when I chose red as one of the splash colors for this debut line. I was also very much inspired by the sense of elegance and class of dress from the Victorian period as well as Parisian aesthetics and the sense of occasion present in periods before. I am very much drawn to the idea of exuding elegance and sophistication and at the same time being able to reflect mystery and confidence without sacrificing classiness. Each garment meant to inspire both the wearer and the viewer with the feeling and rush of walking into the unknown and unexpected.

Justin Howard - Are you influenced by any music or art movements?

Estrella Cristina - Oh yes, as a musician first, of course music has played a very large part in inspiring my line. My love for lace stemmed from my love for classical music.

I took violin lessons as a child and remember feeling so moved by the music and the ability that classical music had to be moving without words. It wasn't just about the crescendos and decrescendos, it was also about the spaces in between. How amazing that was to me! Lace to me represents the physical manifestation of classical music. It's not just the path of the thread that draws you in but the spaces in between that have the ability to create this feverish magnetism. It's magic, magic without words. I also sometimes take inspiration from alternative and rock music, specifically as it pertains to the details, which have been added, to provide a subtle bit of mystery and 'edge' in some of the pieces in the line.

Justin Howard - How do you intend people to feel when wearing your pieces?

Estrella Cristina - I want women to feel beautiful, feminine and sexy. The epitome of class and sophistication without feeling exposed. I want my pieces to bring out the best in each woman and remind them of their nobility and beauty. It was really important to me for each piece to create this feeling of radiance and mystery. We spent a lot of time really perfecting the fit and construction so that each dress would bring out every woman's best and make them feel extraordinary in their own way. The line is about being authentic, confident and luminous. It's really just about wearing clothing which makes you not only look good but also feel good about yourself and this line definitely accomplishes that.

Justin Howard - Are there any other areas of fashion you want or have plans to get into?

Estrella Cristina - Yes definitely! We decided to debut the line with solely dresses for the first season so that we could really perfect the fit of our brand. That was really important to me to have a line with a superior fit. We took a lot of time really focusing on construction and getting the fit just right. By the third season we plan to have a full women's wear line full of lace in all its glory. The hopes are that after successfully debuting and cementing ourselves as a premiere women's lace-infused brand that over the next few years we will grow to include a "blaque" label, a well-tailored menswear line, etc… eventually becoming a full-blown lifestyle brand, bringing nobility to all!

Justin Howard - Describe your first piece. What does it look like? What materials did you use? Is there a specific color scheme? How long did it take you to make it? What were your inspirations?

Estrella Cristina - That's a funny question since the first piece I made was actually for my doll… My younger brother and I got tired of the usual doll clothes and figured we could do better so we started making our own doll clothes. I remember the first dress I made for my doll was this yellow fitted dress with a triangle seam in the middle. I have no clue why I put that seam in there- it was probably because of my obsession with architecture and geometric shapes. I made it out of fabric from the pant leg of a pair of sweats I had, which by the way I was definitely not supposed to have cut.

The first real piece I made was a strapless dress. At that time, I? had a love for all things strapless. It was a strapless lace dress? lined with crepe. As far as I was concerned, crepe was the perfect? fabric and I pretty much thought that was the fabric I would use for? the rest of my life. It was fabulous and I knocked it out within a? very short time. My main inspiration at that time was very much my? Latin-Caribbean culture. I was all about bright tropical colors like? yellow and red.

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Justin Howard - If a celebrity could wear something you designed, who? would it be and why?

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Estrella Cristina - I would love to see one of my dresses on Jennifer? Lopez because her body is the perfect canvas for a fashion designer.? From the curvaceous Sophia Lorens of the world to the everyday?fashionista, her body epitomizes femininity and high fashion at its? best. I'd also love to see one of my dresses on Kate Middleton who? wears lace in the most sophisticated way and knows what it is to dress? with femininity, elegance and class.?

Designer Estrella Cristina

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Website (Coming Spring 2013): www.berqcle.com?

Blog:berqcle.blogspot.com

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Facebook: facebook.com/berqcle