Herrera’s rise to the top of the cutthroat world of fashion began in 1981, when she launched her Carolina Herrera brand in New York.
Today, her empire encompasses that fashion collection, a bridal collection, fragrances, and accessories. Herrera has more than 280 stores in 104 countries that generate billions of dollars in profits. Herrera says that she was more interested in horses than fashion while growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, where her father was governor. But she adds that she was lucky to always be surrounded by exquisitely dressed women. Today, the women in her life are her four daughters, two of whom also work for the Carolina Herrera brand. The success of Carolina Herrera is a special phenomenon. In the 80’s she presented her first collection; in 1986, she designed her first wedding dresses – her definitive career leap came with the creation of Carolina Kennedy’s wedding dress – and in 1987, An agreement with the Puig group for the development of fragrances allowed Carolina Herrera to open up to new markets as early as 1988, launching her first perfume. The success of the first fragrances marks the beginning of international recognition for Carolina Herrera. These achievements prompted Puig to incorporate the entire activity of the Carolina Herrera firm into his group in 1995.
We summarize here her opinion on fashion and style that has marked more than a trend in this great industry, which makes her an icon and an expert on the subject:
“The depth of a person is not measured by the footprint left when passing, but by the distance covered by his gaze.”
“Elegance and style have nothing to do with money.”
“The impossible does not exist for a woman, it just takes time to achieve it.”
“Education is the main dress for the party of life.”
“The woman only has one flaw: she does not recognize how valuable she is.”
“When I look in the mirror I no longer look for who I was in the past, I smile at who I am today, I am glad of the path I have walked, and I accept my contradictions.”
“I love femininity without fanfare, with an elegant style that pays attention to important details.”
“My best revenge has always been to smile as if I had never been hurt.”
“A lady is one who is not interested in having many men at her feet, but one at her height.”
“The invisible accessory for any garment is a perfume.”
“Elegance is not defined solely by the clothes you wear. It’s in how you move, how you talk, what you read.”
“Elegance is not only beauty, it is also the way of thinking”
“Age is just a stereotype; It means nothing when you really have a passion for something”
“There is nothing that ages a woman more than dressing young”
“Style is not only what you wear, but also what you project”.
“Keep in shape; if you look good, you will feel good and safe”.
“Money doesn’t buy elegance. You can wear a cheap dress, add a nice scarf, gray shoes and a nice bag, and that will always be elegant”.
“People are afraid of accessories, but there’s nothing wrong with adding a belt or a pair of different colored shoes.”
“If you don’t like something, take away the only power it has: your attention.”
“It feels very romantic when you’re in a party dress. Everyone should use one from time to time.”
“There are those who believe that red carpets are a parade, but they are something else.”
Carolina Herrera has opened four Carolina Herrera New York stores for women’s luxury and currently has 89 stores in more than 104 countries for her CH Carolina Herrera lifestyle line. Married to the aristocrat Reinaldo Herrera, the designer has four daughters. Carolina, the youngest, has dedicated herself to the company, being the creator and image of the advertising campaigns for several of her perfumes. She was honored by the North American Association of Hispanic Designers, with the award for a decade of artistic creation. In 2012 she has been named Doctor Honoris Causa by the Fashion Institute of Technology. The designer was included among the 100 most influential Latinos of 2007 by People magazine. In just over 20 years she has built an exceptional brand with the values of luxury, timelessness, of emotion and elegance. A brand, also a symbol of New York and New York women, that has not stopped developing and creating new product lines. Carolina Herrera has expanded her public, keeping in perfect coherence with her values of quality, originality and elegance.
