Young Latino Designers Poised to Make an Impression

Young Latino Designers Poised to Make an Impression
Hollywood's rich and famous rely on Latino designers like Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera and up-and-comer Narcisco Rodriguez to outfit them for big splash events like the Oscars or the Grammies.

So what is it about Latino design that makes it so fun and beautiful to wear?

Young Latino design students at The Art Institute of New York City say it's their culture that is their muse, rich with inspiration in everything from music, dance, language and even bullfights.

Bonnie Assing, a fashion design student, is a mixture of many cultures -- Costa Rican, Native American, Caribbean, and Chinese. In her approach to fashion design, she feels the Hispanic influence is the strongest. Bonnie leans toward ruffles and frills, and strong colors, such as red and black. "I think the Spanish influence is sexy, seductive, clingy." She is sure that some of her background will find its way into her the clothes she will eventually design. "Bullfights, festivals, parades, the swirl of colors will always influence me," says Bonnie.

Another student, Ivette Fuentes, whose family is from the Dominican Republic, sees a significant difference between mainstream and Hispanic cultures. She points out that Hispanic women are not obsessed with being thin. People accept that women are curvy. Designers work around the curves, emphasizing clothes