Designer Profile

RANDY FENOLI

"I can make woman beautiful."

Raised on a cattle farm in southern Illinois, one might think he is just another typical hardworking Midwesterner.  But Fenoli can also be flamboyant and funny.

Fenoli is a natural; his interest and talent in making clothes started at a remarkable age of nine.  "We had a sewing machine that wasn't allowed to touch, though my mother couldn't put a hem on a terrycoth towel," laments the irrepressible American.

Although clearly born to design, Fenoli pursued his other passion instead, like make-up artistry, hair-styling and entertaining, before enrolling with the New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T).  Being an overachiever, during his third semester, he was given special permission to participate a contest meant for fourth-semester students.

In fact, he submitted five entries for every category, though only one was requested. The judges, not realizing that one student had submitted all the designs, chose five winners - all Randy Fenoli.

The contest had to be re-judged, but by then Fenoli had a job working for Vivian Dessy Diamond, of Dessy Creations. (He still won the contest, with a then-radical design for a halter dress: "I had never been to a wedding," says Randy. "I didn't know you weren't supposed to wear halters.")

Randy's designs are modern without being intimidating. His understanding of fashion stems from an intuitive sense of what women want. "I can make women beautiful," he explains confidently.

"I love working with brides who have no idea how gorgeous they can look." He finds inspiration in the women he meets, and his designs are based on his observation that above all, brides want choices.

Randy next goal is to teach at F.I.T. "I got where I am today because of the teachers in my life," he explains. "I want to be able to give back something back." But brides of the future need not worry - Randy has no intention of giving up his day job.