In love with the playful feminine collection with original artwork and print of Brooklyn based designer Margarita Saplala.

The designer was born in Manila, Philippines, before moving to Chicago with her family at the age of 2, where she ultimately studied fashion design at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. After working as a freelance designer in New York for larger corporations such as Banana Republic, Gap, Guess and Halston Coats, she decided to pursue her own line in 2006.

It took 17 years before Margarita returned to Manila, and ever since makes regular trips to visit family and learn about the culture. The uniqueness of Margarita Saplala’s prints reflects her fondness for the colorful memories from her many trips to the Philippines. She loves playing with colors and she gets a creative feed from the environment during her visits, “ you see a lot of beautiful embroidery, colorful tribal costumes and Manila is just bustling with color” Margarita explains. “I always loved color and I mix my memories with new topics that interests me”.

Spring Summer 2012 Inspiration:

This collection is inspired by the magic hour. The of the day when the sun is set, but there is still light in the sky. The yellow fades and hues of pinks, oranges and blues are on the horizon. Abstract elements of the magic hour mied with island kitsch clothing result in a modern interpretation of tiki dresses and Hawaiian blouses. Blown up pineapple prints acquire a reptile texture, banana shapes create floral patterns, as repeated images of the horizon during the magic hour become hazy free flowing stripes. The silhouettes of the collection reflect the same kind of airiness captured by the prints.

Greatest inspirations of influences?

• My influences come from different places. One of my biggest inspirations come from forms and colors of nature. I also love looking at exotic cultures such as Southeast Asia and Africa. Their use of pattern play and colors is a constant interest to me.

• Some influential designers are Cristobal Balanciaga and Madame Vionnet for their ingenuity of how a garment is cut and constructed.

Favorite websites, blogs, publications?

I really enjoy the street style blogs. Seeing people's personalities in what they choose to wear can sometimes be more interesting than what is on the runway.

I love film, and especially the new breed of fashion films. For fashion publications I read the ones that keep me updated on what is going on in the fashion world, as well magazines that feature fashion and photography that is a little off beat.

• Jack and Jil, Showstudio.com, Dazed and Confused, Elle, and Vogue

Fashion icons in your opinion?

I love women that can bring out their strength and individuality through their sense of style.

• Bianca Jagger, Chloe Sevigny, and Kate Moss