I have been in love with fashion from the day I was born. Life has taken me here and there in a woven path by choice and not of my consent, but due to this fact has led me to this very point as a designer in NYC.I take the bad and good and say because of both I have arrived to were I am the happiest. I come from a long line of seamstresses, artists and builders. A family based in love, hard work and that taught from a young age if you want to have your dream be a reality, no one can do it for you. You must make it happen. My Papa always says if you want it done right do it your self.

My parents said something to me when I was very young, Avril you can do anything. I thought they were crazy, one person can't do everything. It always haunted me and as I became older I realized that what they meant was not that one soul could actually do anything but to strive to be the best at everything you do and to always try something at leased once. I have always known deep within me that I was meant to be a designer. I sewed my first dress when I was 7 yrs old it was so fun. I was always taking things apart to see how they were made, my Mama would always say just put it back together.

I am of French decent but grew up in Connecticut a very beautiful place for a child to grow up. A place where there is a wondering for the mind to dream. Both my parents are artists. Growing up my Papa was a musician and a finish carpenter/restorer of houses I loved going with him I learned the trade and loved it. My Mama is very talented and has done many things; she was a hairstylist in Los Angeles CA for 20yrs, landscape design, and professional seamstress. I give all credit to them for the talent I have. They let me be free to dream and decide who I would become, that is the greatest gift they have given me besides there love and support.

I knew I always wanted to live in NYC, it fascinated me. Though, I did not move there right away. Life has to evolve naturally and sometimes that takes you places you do not want. I love the saying by Emerson-"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail". You have to help move your life to where you want it. For a time, I lived with my best friend and commuted to the city. This was one of the best times of my life; she is and always will be one of my greatest supports. I was given the opportunity to permanently move to NYC by my employers and took it with open arms. They have been a great support and are like family to me. From that moment I was living in NYC, I was on a mission to become what I had only dreamed of up to this point. The designer deep with in me had been like a monster trying to get out and now I felt that if I did not let it out it would eat me alive. It was work and still is, but to see your own accomplishments come to life is a reward of no other.

I have designed clothes since I was little, but once living in NYC I started playing with the idea of making handbags. I loved shoes and bags and thought if I can make a dress why not a bag. I had gone to school for a time to be an engineer and this helped in the construction of making a handbag as well as my background growing up. So I made my first clutch I call it the Cigar clutch and every where I went people seamed to be crazy for my design, yet I could not seem to move ahead with a line of my own. So I kept going to fashion events and applying to what ever Fashion related thing I could.

Well one night I was invited to a small fashion show of an emerging fashion designer Sandra Baquero. I was so excited I invited my friend and before leaving he called me and said "you are bringing that Cigar clutch that you made right"? I said "no I wasn't" he said "your crazy bring it you need to get it out there and seen"! I had been discouraged and felt like it was all at a dead end and just never going to happen; he knew I needed a push. So I brought it. We were there waiting for the show to start and it was about 5mins before the show and he turns to me and says "go down were they are getting ready and meet the designer, show her the clutch maybe she will want to do a show with you". I said "I can't do that". He said "do it"! So I started down the stairs thinking the designer is going to kick me out and think I'm crazy, but no one stopped me. I went through the sea of models and said "who is the designer"? Sandra came over and said "I am". I introduced my self and my Cigar clutch and she said "oh I love it! The show is starting and you should put it in the show, pick a model show her what to do with it and I will talk to you after". So I did, my head was spinning. I went back up with everything that had been in my Cigar clutch in my two hands and looked at my friend, he said "well" I said "she loved it and it’s in the show"! He just grinned like the Cheshire cat and said "I'm so proud of you". So the show started and it was the greatest feeling seeing my design grace the run way. To this I give the credit to my friend who inspires me and believes in me. So I named my line after what he calls me ALICAT it was fitting. The rest is History to be made. A PR guy Samuel Guedj saw the pictures from the show and asked me if I would like to be in Fashion week which was only three weeks away I said yes of course. I have been on the belt of fashion ever since that day. I could not have done it with out the support of my family and friends, as well as my beautiful friends-photographer Keena and MUA D'angelo Thompson and models that bring it all to life.

That was my first collection "The Hunt Club" collection. I based my designs on what is my second love, horses. So cliché I know. I grew up with horses my Uncle raised Arabians. For a time I trained ex-race horses to be trail horses. I had my own horse for a time. It is one of the things I miss about being in the city is riding. I always loved the way horse tack is so functional but absolutely beautiful in its design. So I based my first line on this idea. To make bags that fit the needs of a woman with out compromising the beauty of the design. It became the base for all my bags. I design and hand sew, all my first samples.

My second collection I had time to plan and wanted to play with making it a full collection with clothing as well as my first men’s line. This inspiration came from my motorcycle. I was cleaning the spokes on the tire, the combination of grease and smell of rubber inspired me. I thought I could make a clutch out of recycled motorcycle inner tube and bring this through out the collection. So the collection became "Grease and Metal". I pared it with silk and chiffon to soften the hardness of the bags. It is one of my favorite collections. There will be many more to come. For the monster has been released.