THE LATIN BEAT: Mary C. Vargas, president and founder of Tata Jolie, has brought her line of vibrant, contemporary sportswear to WWDMAGIC.
WWD: What is your background?
Mary C. Vargas: I was born in Venezuela, but my family is from Spain. So, I have Latin and European blood. I moved to Miami 13 years ago. In Venezuela, I was a lawyer. When I went to the university [in Florida] to see if I could revalidate my license, they said, ‘No way.’ I started working in stores. I worked for five years and then I started my own line. If I had to return to being a lawyer, forget about it.
WWD: Explain your brand, Tata Jolie, which you started in 2007.
M.C.V.: Because I’m Latin, I combine very bright colors and prints with sexy shapes. Americans are really into Latin [fashions] right now. They like to be sexy, although not so tight.
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WWD: Tell me about the spring collection.
M.C.V.: We designed for spring thinking about resorts, the beach and the sand. Everything is in ocean colors: blues and corals. There are a lot of fish prints and star prints. It makes you feel like you are at the beach. The key element is a zigzag print. It has details in it like a fish-scale print. We use chiffons and jerseys. There are a lot of jumpsuits and rompers.
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WWD: How’s it going at WWDMAGIC?
M.C.V.: Normally, Vegas is not really a morning market. People love to go out at night. They drink and eat. But we have started to see our regular stores and some new customers. This is a very international show.
WWD: How is business this year?
M.C.V.: This summer was a little bit slow, but things are starting to pick up, and it is a very good business right now compared to how it was. Customers are looking for more pieces, and looking for quality and novelty, not just price.
WWD: What is Tata Jolie’s wholesale price range?
M.C.V.: $65 to $140.