Question: How did you get started in the business?
Answer: Well I've been into textiles pretty much all of my life. My mom was an needle point artist. and she also was in the fashion industry. She had a high-end kids boutique then also she was a whole seller. And a big time shopper! (We both laugthed) I kind of got started by going to school and getting a textile degree at Rhode Island School of Design where I learned how to weave and knit. From the moment I left school, I brought my first knitting machine, and I started knitting, I knitted so many things that I had to start selling, so I was selling things out of my suitcase.

Question: At what age did you know clothing designing was for you and who influenced you the most?
Answer: My mom. When I absolutely knew I was going into fashion was some time in my early twenties.

Question: Were you still in school at the time?
Answer: No, when I left school I didn't know what I was going to do so I got into costume design while doing an apprenticeship with Florida Grand Opera. I became like a dance and theater costume designer for alot of local people. I didn't exactly know I was going into fashion until I was already in it.

Question: How old were you when you got your first fashion designing job?
Answer: I never studied under any body in fashion design. I started my own company just like that.

Question: How old were you when you started your company?
Answer: Twenty-seven.

Question: Are you working on any current projects now?
Answer: Were always working on new projects; we've started designing for Spring 2010. We're doing KREL 2 Go Tour this summer at Scope Basel June 8-14 in Switzerland, Gen Art Shop Miami June 18, then we have plans for a tour of New England and then we'll be on tour in New Orleans.

Question: Do you enjoy designing on the spot or in private?
Answer: ... I like both. it depends on the mood. It's one of these things like... you don't know what you are going to do until you are in the middle of doing it. and.... part of the process from when I started knitting from the beginning was exactly that. I would just start knitting on knitting machine and whatever I ended up with--- was the piece.

Question: Do you have specific designs in your head?
Answer: No I just make stuff.

Question What are most of your favorite colors you like to work with?
Answer: All colors. I don't discriminate. (We both chuckled)

Question: I know writers get writers block have you ever experienced any thing similar to that, and if so how you get pass it?
Answer: I definetly get designer block. It usually happens right after I've done a really big project. And I still need to get to the next stage but I still don't know how to get there. So....I just pretty much keep myself distracted as much as possible and hopefully fall into it again. Because it does happen I've gone through it enough times that like, I have so many deadlines that it ends up working out. I work for deadlines. I've designed collections in two weeks because I didn't know what I was going do up until that two week time came. And I mean like creating fabrics, doing the entire collection like fifthy something looks! But for me it's really fun I really enjoy it.

Question: Do you find it easier designing for women or men?
Answer: For women, women will wear anything.

Question: Could you explain why you don't consider mistakes, errors or material fringes flaws?
Answer: Sure, it's a natural progression when working on materials sometimes the materials don't act nicely with each other. The orginal thing was letting it run, we embrace our flaws. It's basicly because we've gotten so many interesting details out of the things that were suppose to be mistakes and we've worked so hard on so many things, that sometimes each flaw becomes just like signatures and like little space and times of what happens. It's really nice to embrace flaws because who is perfect and what is perfect?

Question: What was it like designing on stage at the Fashion Art Ball? (There was a short pause and we both giggled)
Answer: It was very unnerving, and I was really very nervous.... and I didn't know what to expect. Every thing I intended on doing, nothing happened that I intended, I realized that once I got on stage, and this has happened to me before with my competition for Style Wars. Having five minutes to customs someone on stage is like really a little amount of time but at the same time feels like a long time when you are working, you know? So I felt like alot of pressure to do something really quick and really fast. But then of course we had a little wardrobe mishap. (Krelwear and I both busted out laughing) (Talking through complete laughter) Then Erin Newberg kind of made the show something we didn't quite expect. But her outfit in the end came out amazing and she was an amazing sport, and it alot of fun in the end.

Question: I know you currently use knits for your designs but have you ever worked with any other materials?
Answer: No it's always been knits. I make every thing. I make all of my fabrics. I only buy yarn, I never use anyone elses fabrics but my own.

Question: How did you know knits would be your claim to fame.
Answer: It was kind of a natural progression because every since college I haven't stop knitting. And I love creating fabric and that's really why I do what I do. It's really pretty much because of the fabric not so much of the clothes; I end up making like really amazing clothing out of really amazing fabrics.

Question: On average how long does it take to make a dress?
Answer: Well it depends, I mean I do alot of different variations. If you're working on the hand machine knit, which is a one of kind. Those can take up to five hours for a dress, it could take three days. It depends on the process, and how evolved it is. Like a sweater dress takes three days. Those are for the one of kinds where we control every single stitch. When we are in the factory we do production and that doesn't take much time at all and we do the custom fit knits (KREL 2 GO) which is what we did at Oxygene. Those can take up to about hour, where our customers are draped with fabric and do the pinning on them and we do a piece on the spot.

Question: Earlier you mentioned you are going to Europe. Do you prefer working in the States or abroad?
Answer: I mainly work in the States were just starting to get out into Europe. We have very little going on in Europe right now but with this Summers' events thats definetly starting to change. I've been doing trades out there for a couple of years just to kind of get my feet wet in the industry over there. It's a totally different game. I'm very comfortable with the American market, this is my market for sure. I'm especially comfortable with the Miami market because this is my hometown. However, I may look to expand into the European market. Question: What do you think you offer that most designers don't?
Answer: Well.. we don't design like average designers, I barely make a stetch ever at all. We just work from an opposite angle, our work ethics are completely different. We actually make the fabric and then we design the fabric to turn into a dress, so it's a totally different process.

Question: If you were not an designer what other profession would you be in?
Answer: It would be definetly something in the fabrics industry, making fabrics is really what I love to do. I don't really see myself doing any thing else.

Question: What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Answer: Designing for a couple of pieces that I have, some fashion shows, just keeping on going; I'm also creating new pieces, and of course the KREL 2 Go Knitty Gritty Tour

Question: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Answer: Hm. Kinda in the same place but more spread out, more stores and more clients and to eventually own my own factory.

Question: How did you come up with the design for your business card?
Answer: It's a knit costume I made in college and I wore it on my graduation.

Question: Ok when I see the card I see the shape of a heart was that your intentions or is it just me being artistic?
Answer: : It's you being artistic! It just basicly the arms being connected to the body we were doing a project about morphing the human anatomy.

Question: What advice would you give to young people who want to follow in your foot steps.
Answer: It takes alot of work and perservance you have to have a really strong back bone to do what I do

So there you have have it. Daughter of fashionista turns fashion designer.

Look out for Karelle Levy; she's young, she's talented, and she's one of Miami's top designers! Be sure to check out Krelwear.com to view the Spring '09 collection.

Private appointments are available at her Art District studio.

-- Best, Karelle Levy

KRELwear, Inc. 180 NW 25th Street Miami, FL 33127 (305)576-7465 www.KRELwear.com