From an intern at urban fashion line Rocawear to a successful fashion designer, Rachel Roy has made quite a name for herself.  Not only is she known for being breathtakingly beautiful but her pleasant and kind demeanor makes her a darling to work with in the fashion industry.  Four collections strong, including the Rachel Rachel Roy collection that launched this past August, the designer has become a favorite among celebrities like Eva Mendes, Kate Hudson, and Iman.  Just this past summer, First Lady Michelle Obama sported a Rachel Roy dress in San Francisco.

Rachel Roy approaches the design of her eponymous collection with a refined and feminine point of view. From the optimistic explosion of color and sequined skirts of her latest resort collection, to the Moroccan military theme for Fall 10, which no doubt was made for the modern woman who seeks to infuse a bit of everyday glamour into her wardrobe.

The designer grew up in the poor community of Seaside, Northern California, where her family submerged themselves within their multicultural 7th Day Adventist neighborhood.  Raised by her father, a strict Indian sociology professor and her laid back Dutch mother, Roy adopted her father’s hard work ethic early on.

She attended college in Washington DC where upon graduation pursued her passion for design, and moved to New York City to work freelance. Styling magazine shoots and music videos ultimately landed her an internship at Rocawear. As an intern she worked in every department from the mailroom to marketing and finally made her way to women’s design. Roy quickly proved an essential commodity that eventually led her to become Creative Director for Rocawear Juniors and Girls.

In an interview with the New York Times Rachel Roy dished, “I have known that I wanted to be a designer since I was 8 years old. While back-to-school shopping, I realized that I hated the selection I had to choose from and decided that I wanted to do something about it myself. My first job was in retail at the age of 14, and I have worked in the industry ever since. When I moved on to the more behind-the-scenes side in licensing, I got a firm understanding of the business side of fashion which helped me to build a foundation on which to eventually start my own company.”

In Fall 2004, she applied her sophisticated aesthetic and debuted her first collection, RACHEL ROY.  Roy wanted to create clothing for women who embrace fashion and dress with an effortless elegance and confidence.  Her collections have garnered editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, W and Vanity Fair.

In 2006 she received a Bollywood industry award for her contribution to American fashion and in 2007 was inducted into the CFDA.
To date, the RACHEL ROY collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macys and top specialty stores worldwide.

What are the essentials every woman should have according to Rachel Roy?
-The perfect trench, because it never fails to look sophisticated and chic and can be worn as both a coat and a dress.
-A go-to cardigan that can double as a jacket.
-Mix and match skirts can go a long way in creating a permutation of great looks.
-Perfectly fitting jeans — they look good with everything and will never go out of style.