Happy Saturday! As you may know, I broke into my first post-grad “writing gig” this year at Miami.com/Miami Herald newspaper. When my amazing editor Maria Tettamanti (aka The Wordy Girl) passed along the incredible opportunity to interview Keren Craig, co-founder and fashion designer behind Marchesa, I was BEYOND elated. It was a chance I could never pass up and a day I’ll never forget. First designer interview: check. Keren was wise beyond her years, inspiring and ever-so-sweet. (She left heart emojis on my Instagram and favorited my tweet… that means we’re kind of best friends, right?)

We chatted some of the little details of her day over her in the Miami.com article below. Aside from being fashion powerhouses, I learned that Keren and her partner Georgina Chapman are also St. Regis Hotels and Resorts first female connoisseurs. The one thing I wanted to share with you is her can-do attitude. One of my favorite things Keren mentioned was a tidbit of advice on parenting that can really apply to any life qualm:  “There are no steadfast rules. People say, “What’s your secret?” I don’t think there is a secret. You just try your best. Sometimes you think you’re failing and sometimes you think you’re winning. You just try your hardest. . .You make it happen.” 

I’ll leave you on that note with a little more from the darling Mrs. Keren Craig. 

Fangirling side by side with Keren Craig.

Oscar, Tony, Emmy — Marchesa runs with an A-list entourage. Designers Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman are known for planting a garden of grandeur style on each and every red carpet. From the scandalous Kerry Washington to the sensational Taylor Swift, Marchesa reigns popular with tulle for days. We chatted with Craig to learn the ins and outs of being one of Hollywood’s favorite designers.

What were your key inspirations for the fall collection? We were looking at a kind of opium dream. We really took the idea of a hazy 1920s feeling. You’ll see a lot of fringes, feathers and handmade flowers — a lot of very “Marchesa” staples.

Name a highlight within the last 10 years of Marchesa. Sandra Bullock wore our dress to the Oscars and won her Oscar in it. That was a pretty defining moment for us as a brand.

What’s the oddest place you’ve found inspiration? Georgina will often have sparks of inspiration and call me up at strange times in the night to say, “I’ve had a dream,” or “I was searching on the Internet and I found this painting.” Inspiration comes from so many different places. You draw from every day life all the time.

You’re a successful designer and a mother of two. If you had to write a book on parenting, what would the title be? There are No Rules.

If you had to get married all over again, what wedding trend would be on your Pinterest board? When I got married, Marchesa didn’t do bridal so I took one of our gowns and made it in ivory. I didn’t have that moment of going to a bridal salon and trying on the things you normally do when you get married. I would definitely wear the most enormous veil and have the most enormous train. I would be a much more ostentatious bride. I should have worn that veil — damn, I missed that moment!

What’s waiting for you on your DVR at home? My husband and I have a secret obsession with The Walking Dead.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”

Should we visit your home base of NYC, what’s the little known place we’d have to visit? The Waverly Inn. It’s very cozy, especially this time of year. The staff is fantastic and the food is delicious.

What’s the one thing you must do when you visit Miami? I plan on doing a lot of shopping. I really want to fit in a little trip to some vintage stores.

This article was authored by Jillian Goltzman for Miami.com. 

Photo: Stefano Massè / Indigitalimages.com via Style.com

Photo: Stefano Massè / Indigitalimages.com via Style.com

Photo: Stefano Massè / Indigitalimages.com via Style.com

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