Are there any celebrities you’d particularly like to dress?
X.V.: My inspiration is when I go to a party and I see real people wearing my dresses. Oh my gosh, I feel so honored. I already dress Jessica Alba, Alicia Keys, and Eva Longoria, among others. But — Shakira! I would love to dress her. E.S.: You are from Mexico City and you have done several shows throughout Latin America. Are you involved in the fair-trade movement there? X.V.: No, all of the sewing is done in my showroom in Eagle Rock [Los Angeles]. But I’m always open to charity work. E.S.: Do you have any advice for would-be designers? X.V.: Explore. Play. Take a risk. In this spring collection, you’ll see a lot of the same silhouettes in all the dresses, but you can tie them different ways. It’s very versatile. What I want is for people to become creative and put their own personalities out there. For more behind-the-scenes photos from the show, check out the Ximena Valero photo album on EthicalStyle.com’s spanking-new Facebook page!
