In 2001, fashion designer Koi Suwannagate debuted her first collection of hand-crafted vintage cashmere pieces to great acclaim, and she has been a fixture on the fashion scene ever since. The Los Angeles-based, Thai-born Suwannagate is recognized for designs that combine genteel, fairy tale-like femininity with sculptural precision. In addition to being featured in the pages of such fashion mainstays as Vogue, W, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar, Suwannagate is worn by celebrity trendsetters including Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Natalie Portman.

	Images courtesy of Koi Suwannagate
	Koi Suwannagate West Valley College

In 2007, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue chose the designer as a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award, the fashion industry’s top honor for emerging designers. Educated at Bangkok’s Silapakorn University and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, Suwannagate also attended West Valley College, where she says she “discovered her talent.”

Q&A with Koi Suwannagate:

Affinity Magazine: What were your childhood hobbies?
Koi Suwannagate: Climbing trees, fishing, and making clothes for my dolls.

What kind of student were you? 
I was never really strong academically, but I always did really well in the arts. I didn’t enjoy going to school until I studied decorative arts at the university level in Bangkok.

What was your family’s attitude toward college when you were growing up?
My family pretty much let me do what I wanted to do as long as I was making some progress.

Describe your experience at West Valley College (WVC).
Most of the people I met at WVC were very committed and serious about learning and doing the best job they could.

At what point did you decide to become a fashion designer?
I discovered my passion for designing during a class called Draping and Couture Embellishments at WVC. People loved my hand-sculpted t-shirt designs and encouraged me to start my own line. I discovered my talent during that class—it really jump-started my career as a fashion designer.

What inspires your designs?
Nature, art, and the contours of a woman’s body. When I design, it’s very spontaneous. I let my mind lead my hand to do what it wants to do.

When and where are you most creative and productive?
In my studio, when it’s quiet and I can focus on designing.

	Images courtesy of Koi Suwannagate
	A Koi Suwannagate Design

What are the most  frustrating distractions to your creative process?
Dealing with the business aspect of running a fashion corporation can be a distraction…you not only have to be a great designer, but you have to make sure that the business is well taken care of.

What kind of an impact has being a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award had on your career?
The nomination has been extremely helpful for my career!  It has offered me the opportunity to meet so many inspiring people in the fashion industry. It has truly encouraged me to take my collection to the next level. With the support of Bumble and Bumble and Shiseido, I staged my first runway show during New York Fashion Week in February, which was a dream come true. 

How do you handle the pressure of being in an industry where criticism is part of everyday life? 
With the recent press attention and increased brand recognition it’s just natural that people talk more about my collection now. There are always going to be people who dislike or criticize my work, but I can’t take it personally. Not everyone is going to love what I do, but you have to do what you love in order to stand out and create a unique brand.

What career accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?
Launching my own clothing line; being recognized and nominated as a finalist by the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund; staging my first runway show; and ultimately, having been able to turn my passion into my career.

Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
I would love to open flagship stores in major fashion capitals—Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Tokyo…

How are you incorporating the green movement into your work?
I have been working with vintage cashmere since day one. In fact, it has become my signature. For Summer 2008, I worked with organic cotton for the first time and designed a limited selection of beautiful summer dresses made of sustainable fabrics. I am currently exploring natural dyes and will incorporate additional sustainable fabrics such as organic silk into the next collection.

If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you be doing for a living?
I’d probably be a landscape architect or gardener. I love flowers!