Great silhouettes and divine structure, American-born designer Keemia started her design journey in Paris working under designers, and established her own company in 2005.  I had a chance to talk with Keemia about her designs, her motivation, and future plans for her label:

FASHION INDIE: How did you get your start in fashion? Was it a path you always knew you wanted to take?

KEEMIA: There is no direct path to becoming a designer. I have always had a passion for fabric, design and the manipulation of the two. This enthusiasm led me to seek apprenticeships with many designers. My advice is to never accept “no” as the first answer. In fact, when I applied for an apprenticeship with a French designer in Paris, I was turned down three times before being accepted.

FI: Where do you get your inspiration for those awesome drapes and silhouettes?

K: Curiosity inspires me to design. I try to always be creative and innovative in my work and my endless curiosity inspires me to do so. I draw inspiration from what I have not yet discovered or a feeling I am trying to recapture. My most recent collection was an inspired study in romance, fluidity, and, simplicity.

With what is happening in today’s world, I feel it will slowly mark the end of meaningless clothing. What is not real will go. As a cursor to this, for my fall 2009 collection, I chose not to design for a season, but to instead focus on a body. The result: classic, stylish fare that fuses high fashion with a universal aesthetic.

FI: Who is your favorite designer right now?

K: Winston Churchil once said, “Study history, study history. In history lies all the secrets of statecraft”.

I admire and study the great designers who have formed how we see fashion today as well as those who influence our current fashion culture. To name a few of my muses: Valentino Garavani, Cristobal Balenciaga, Sonia Rykiel, and Azzedine Alaïa.

FI: Where do you hope to take your company next?

K: International.  My ultimate goal is to be balanced in my work life as well as in my home life. As an entrepreneur, I am constantly setting goals and deadlines for myself and for my company… and the achievement of one goal is simply the starting point of another.

FI: Any advice for hopeful designers?

K: It’s important to research and absorb current trends by reading books and magazines and observing fashion shows online. While I do think education and technical skill is valuable, I feel that one must understand the steps one needs to take to materialize a design concept. I encourage those interested in fashion to go and see as much fashion as they can, which means examining the quality and style of garments at not just department stores and boutiques, but also at thrift stores and museum exhibitions. As a designer, you need to be able to pull from all of those influences.

Check out Keemia’s fall preview, past collections and runway shows, retail information, and more on her site.  You can’t buy her designs on the site, but there are tons of retail stores that have her designs (ranging from $50-$400) online.

Designer Keemia Ferasat has hit the scene with intricately delicious creations. As she continues to climb her ranks to the top, it’s clear that her specialty is fun and simplistic fashions that never fail to add a touch of elegance and flair. Keemia tends to stick to more basic colors, with soft whites and edgy blacks, she creates pieces to die for.

GALLERY: Keemia designs