Age: 43
Birthplace: Malaysia. Came to the U.S. at age 18.
School: Parsons School of Design, New York
Price: $300 for a blouse to $5,000 for special gowns.
First fashion-related job: "I worked for Melissa Manchester's mom, actually. She had her own business and she made these little print presses. She had an office in Bush Terminal in Brooklyn. I was a design assistant and I traveled with her in the U.S. and Europe."
First Collection: Five pieces in black, off-white and tan cotton.
Consumer: "I usually say, 'The thinking woman," a woman who is intelligent and self assured. These are high quality clothes with quality fabrics. They don't scream and shout. After all, you are as important as your clothes."
What it takes to make it in the business: "Chuzpah! And big bucks help!" Year she became independent and why: 1981. "It was always a goal for me, something I worked towards."
Seed money: Family money.
Design Philosophy: "You wear the clothes. Clothes do not wear you."
Biggest regret: "That's an alien concept to me."
Biggest triumph: "Again, I don't think that way."
When did you know you made it?: "Every day when I am happy."
Time spent designing: "I'm always designing in my mind. I go out, I see people, I get ideas, then I sketch them out. You have to do that. Fashion isn't fashion until it's accepted by a group, so you have to go out all the time and make yourself aware of what's out there."
What's next: "New technology is going to provide a marriage of new materials and couture manufacturing techniques."