A relative newcomer on the fashion scene compared to some of the other designers we have profiled recently, Silvia Tcherassi has 
none the less become one of the most influential contemporary Hispanic designers in her 15 years in the industry with her eclectic designs which have been described as “having the delicateness of a ballet dancer, while at the same time, the strength of a rock star”.
She was born in 1970 in Colombia and is based in Miami. Her meteoric rise to the top of the fashion world has seen her become a household name in Latin America and pick up several prestigious awards along the way including the title of “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”, an honour awarded by the French government to those who have made significant contributions to the arts or literature.
Tcherassi is renowned for her prêt-à-porter range and her stunning accessories, but in 2007 she branched out into the design of spaces with the launch of her Tcherassi Hotel Collection, the first of which is a renovated colonial mansion in Cartagena de Indias in her native Colombia.
Her activities go beyond design. She is also spokesperson for UNICEF’s “More Arts, Less Mines” campaign and in 2010 she published her first book, entitled “Elegancia sin Esfuerzo” (Effortless Elegance) in which she shares her advice on how to dress stylishly. If you are taking Spanish lessons, then you might like to add it to your reading list and see how much you are able to understand.