How did HappyKristine start?
HappyKristine essentially began as a “passion project”. We weren't really thinking of doing fashion shows or anything of that sort in the beginning. It started out as a hobby, doing something we were passionate about. We wore our designs everywhere we went, and those who saw us gave us great praise, and that's when Kristine came up with the idea to take it to the next level.

Being sisters, does it mean that you have similar taste, different, or did you just combine your “fashion sense?”
Happy: When I was a kid, I looked up to my mom who never dressed down wherever she went, so while everybody was wearing jeans and sneakers I was the only the kid wearing dresses. So I've always loved dressing up. In the last decade, I spent a lot of time with my best friend who had a wonderful style and that's when I really became conscious of my own fashion sense. So my style is a culmination of what I've loved over the years, and I think Kristine's is similar to mine since we grew up together.

Kristine: We've always been close since we were kids and still do a lot of things together, so our taste is not that far from each other, but coming from different age groups we naturally have unique ideas that make up our own style. I like fresh colors and patterns. She loves the elaborate and I'm the one who tells her to take it down a notch. We combine what we both like until we come up with something we both adore.

What is the concept behind HappyKristine Couture?
HappyKristine Couture is definitely a reflection of ourselves. It's a blend of our own passion and the surroundings that inspire us. We love special details, so there's always a unique flair in each piece. It's limited edition clothing so we only make a few pieces per design. Having said that, our price range is somewhere in the middle. It depends on how intricate the details are in the design. We currently carry dresses only, but we'll eventually have tops as well.

What do you want your clients to feel whenever they wear your clothes?
We want them to feel special and steal the spotlight, so to speak. Our goal is to give them an aura of fun spirit, sexiness, and confidence when they wear our clothes. We create pieces that we, ourselves, would love to wear.

A couturier is like a doctor who sculptures the clothes to one's body to fit perfectly and beautifully. Where do you get your ideas every season?
From our environment, from everything we see and hear. We get ideas from watching how people talk and move when they're wearing a gorgeous outfit. It's amazing how clothes evoke emotions. We want women who wear HappyKristine to carry that same feeling.

It's hard to be creative all the time. You need an inspiration. Where do you get your inspiration when you're designing clothes? Is it music, movies, things, person?
Inspiration comes from our friends, our childhood, from our own imagination. Our surroundings are a big part of it. Living in Los Angeles is such a beautiful thing. The people are so diverse, there's a lot of artistic and intellectual product in this city where you can draw inspiration from.

How are women designers different from men? Is there a difference?
For us, there's not a difference. Being a designer whether you're a man or woman all stem from the same core of creativity. It all depends how you translate that into fashion.

Where can we purchase your clothes?
You can purchase the complete line at www.happykristine.com and www.houseofblissla.com. Some pieces are available at www.lafashioncorner.com, and in local boutiques next year.

Any fashion show coming up?
We don't have details yet, but we're working on ideas for 2009. We had 2 fashion shows this year and we plan to do the same or even more next year.

What should we expect in 2009?
Color will definitely play a big part in our line next year. We're expressing ourselves more in the next collection. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Have a great day and take it EZ!

*Thank you for your letters. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Email me at elginz@ca.rr.com.