I was very excited to meet with Mabel Cortez, designer of MabellaChic. I first met Cortez in the Style Villa at Phoenix Fashion Week where I saw her designs for the first time and I completely fell in love with her clothes. I met with Cortez the week after Phoenix Fashion Week, after everything was calming down, at Starbucks in Tempe Market Place. Cortez only currently works out of her home, but one of her goals is to see her clothes in boutiques and she is hoping after a lot of boutiques saw her designs on the runway she will be able to show and sell her clothes in their stores. Cortez is originally from Long Beach, California and she moved to Arizona three and a half years ago. She went to school at ‘Fashion Institute of Merchandising’ in Los Angeles at the young age of 19. She went to a school that gave her the opportunities to study fashion design but also a school that gave her the business side to become a better designer and to know the business side to help run her label.
Cortez started designing five years ago, starting in California and then moved to Arizona because she felt there was a need for fashion in the state and she really wanted to bring her vision here in Arizona. Her Spring 2012 collection will defiantly spark interest in a lot of people in Arizona, but also people all across the country. Her Spring collection is a breath of fresh air with all the bright and playful designs. Playing with torques, greens and yellows to her clothes putting the neon colors on dresses to shorts and shirts. One of my favorite designs is actually a black and white dress that has such an intricate flower detail on the shoulders that you immediately want to have it on. Cortez’s inspiration behind her collection is for the full time working woman as well as a full time student or mother. The concept is to be able to take her clothes from day to night, just adding a few pieces to spice the outfit up to night, such as switching from flats to heels or throwing on a blazer for the night out. I was able to feel her fabrics she used, which is jersey and cotton and those fabrics keep the designs very light and breathable.
Cortez had a whole team to help her prepare for Phoenix Fashion Week and her lookbook. Meet her team; Family and friends. Cortez’s mother helped her sew all her samples while her brother, James Perez a photographer for Hermosa Vida Photography helped with her lookbook along with Stella Crowl. Her friends have been very supportive and have helped if she needs anymore hands to help out. Her husband is her biggest fan but also her biggest critic. “He’s very honest and just tells me how it is. He doesn’t want to lie to me if it looks bad. I wouldn’t want him too” said Cortez about her husband. Phoenix Fashion Week was only the beginning for Cortez and there are many new and exciting events heading her way and I cannot wait to watch her grow as designer.
Pictures up soon!
Find her at:Pictures up soon!
http://www.facebook.com/MABELLACHIC
http://twitter.com/#!/MabellaChic
http://www.mabellachic.com/
