Hang in there new designers, hang in there. Today WWD printed a piece which focused on the plight of emerging designers, specifically fledgling handbag maestros. The story spoke to the trials of rising materials cost and the ongoing battle to compete in a market flooded with established (and popular) luxury brands.

So how does a hopeful designer get the game? Well, that’s where we come in.

We’ve recently kicked off our annual Be Discovered: Design a Dress competition, where unknown designers submit their original dress sketch to be eligible to win an apprenticeship with ADAM’s Adam Lippes, a nice jaunt to NYC, and more. Helming the contestants’ fate are our seasoned judges, one of whom is none other than Miss Tina Knowles. We caught up with her recently (and no, we didn’t ask her about Beyonce’s new coif) and queried her about her own fashion industry experiences with her House of Dereon and Miss Tina labels:

Tina Knowles

Hardest thing about launching a clothing line: Finding the right manufactures and partners.

Favorite thing about your job: Seeing my sketches and designs come to life.

Most intense part of your job: Meeting deadlines.

Favorite labels in your closet: Donna Karan and Miss Tina.

Favorite dress you’ve ever owned & why: A Donna Karan black wool jersey knit dress because even if I gain a few pounds, it still looks great.

Advice for emerging designers: To find a way to get exposure, whether it be by lending clothes to celebrities and or someone affluent or influential within your community.

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