Have you ever dreamed of crafting a collection so impressive that you are invited to showcase your line in a New York City fashion show? One Handmade Spark member is living that reality right now. Danielle Cicero is showcasing her 4th collection at African Fashion Week New York this Friday, July 15th, 2011, and yet she generously took the time to share how she made her design dreams happen with the Handmade Spark community.

Who is your design inspiration?

I’m inspired by many designers, but also regular people; I love the timeless elegance of Carolina Herrera, the couture details and slightly off beat yet fierce stylings of Byron Lars, the classic American aesthetic of Ralph Lauren, and I also love the fast fashion that stores like H&M and Forever carry. You can experiment with your style without breaking the bank.  I am also eternally inspired by my beauty and style icons: Princess Di and Grace Kelly, Diana Ross (especially in the movie Mahogany), Dorothy Dandridge and Marilyn Monroe.

But I’m also very inspired by my maternal grandmother, Rosemary Neal, who passed away in 2009.  She was a very stylish lady. She would remove the buttons from her jacket and sew on nicer more expensive ones, or add sequins or shorten a hem to give more pizzaz to an outfit. When she passed away we found her collection of vintage gloves (pink leather with buttons to ruffled silver zebra print), scarves, hats, handbags and clutches, costume and real jewelery, and every type of outfit for every occasion known to man. THAT was one stylish lady!

Tell us about your first experience creating a collection.

I did my first collection in 2007, and it was a learning experience. It was only 3 pieces but I sewed them all myself in a few weeks (after being on sewing hiatus for 2 or more years), and they are still in excellent condition today.  The pieces like all my pieces had a nod to certain vintage elements, and really I haven’t strayed away from what my line is going to be known for- informal bridal dresses with a vintage edge and special occasion dresses. I’m overall happy with the progression, this is my 4th Spring collection (being released for Spring 2012).

How did you get invited to participate in Africa Fashion Week?

The Africa Fashion Week show is geared to designers who are either African, African American, Afro-Carribean or design African inspired clothing/shoes/accessories.  I am a mixture of black American and Jamaican heritage, and I am one of the few black indie-bridal designers in this industry currently.  I was approached by a photographer for AFWNY and a past presenter who was presenting this year as well, and after doing some research I found that doing this show would be great for publicity.  This year there are several major magazines slated to attend. For an independant designer to show on such a large scale, to be professionally produced international stage, and get that kind of press coverage – I couldn’t turn it down!

What is the most challenging aspect of running your Etsy business?

Running an Etsy shop and doing it right requires a lot of time! I have a custom design studio where you can view my collections and get fitted for custom clothing. So running that studio in addition to being a mother and a wife… Let’s just say I find it difficult to put enough time to really keep my site up to date.

Ironically, I sign on to etsy several times per day and make frequent purchases!  I love the vast types of handmade wares out there, and the unique shops that Etsy is known for. I intend to put more energy into running my Etsy shop going forward, which means most likely I will be buying even more Etsy goodies!

What do you love about being a designer?

I love making the ideas in my head come to life. I love seeing my creations on women, and seeing their eyes light up. I love making people feel special.

What’s next for Danielle Cicero?

I have my official Spring 2012 photoshoot coming up in a few weeks. It’s going to be on the beach and on the grounds of this very chic mansion!  I am also participating in several different fashion shows, both through creative consult and through actually showing my line. I try to participate in as many events for charity as possible. I am also working on selling to boutiques, so soon I will be in a store near you.

Lastly, I am adding a couple different category items to my line including mini makeup kits, small accessories and cards. Some are for giveaways and some are for sale, but they will all be handmade and will be available shortly. Between getting ready for shows, developing products and meeting with buyers plus revamping my studio, I have so much going on and I feel blessed everyday!

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You can find Danielle’s Handmade Spark Mini-site here, and info on her upcoming fashion show here. When she’s not creating new collections or shooting in fabulous locations, Danielle can be found tumbling, twittering and updating her website.