Welcome back Bfliers!  This week for Fashion Friday I am excited to introduce you to June Monteiro, an upcoming designer hailing from Cape Cod, Massachusetts or “The Cape” as the locals call it.   As a teenager she followed the grunge look…you remember that don’t you?  Oversized plaid tops, baggy jeans, ponytails & scrunchies- throwbacks from the 80′s.  But upon entering high school and becoming an art major she began dancing to her own drum.

Ms. Monteiro graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art and entered the world of fashion and hasn’t looked back.  Cofounding Montucia in 2006 quickly led to her solo projects, ENAMOUR and ENAMOUR Sport, which debuted in 2010.  June hasn’t left her Cape Cod roots behind.  Instead she has incorporated Cape Cod into her designs.  Nor has she abandoned her fine arts roots.  History is her muse and inspiration and reference materials are endless.

Her debut and current collection “Monarch” can be found in select boutiques later this year.  Read on for some facts about Ms. Monteiro and ENAMOUR and ENAMOUR Sport as she talked to Butterfly30.

Who is June Monteiro?  I am a Pisces, so my emotions guide my personality.  I’m very outgoing, happy, caring and for the most part easygoing.  Although, when it comes to work I’m very structured and  oriented.  In my downtime I spend as much time as I can with family and friends.

So your lines are ENAMOUR and ENAMOUR Sport? Tell us what we can expect to see from ENAMOUR? My debut collection is entitled “Monarch”  The Monarch Collection consists of cocktail dresses, as well as, some great day wear pieces.  The majority of which are made of various silks and cottons.  My love for art/history inspired me to take a look at Victorian mourning clothes.  When Queen Victoria mourned the loss of her husband she grieved through her clothing starting a trend.  This process intrigued me, and I decided to mark time through color and fabrics in this collection.  It starts out very structured in black and greys, then opens up with fuller dresses and ruffles in purples and ends with lavender and white cocktail dresses.

That tradition of grieving through your wardrobe continues to this day…black is worn to funerals and shunned at weddings.  But what about ENAMOUR Sport? What is that collection about? Under the ENAMOUR Sport line, I create a line of T-shirts and casual wear.  There are signature logo t-shirts, as well as, a definition T-shirt. In the coming months we will introduce phrase t-shirts along with a few image T-shirts.  I’m excited about the sports line because it’s a bit funkier than the collection I create and can appeal to a younger market.  This is in addition to the mature target audience of ENAMOUR.

So who is the target audience for ENAMOUR? My target audience for ENAMOUR are women who lead busy lives; women who need clothing for regular events but also need clothing wearable for a weekend outing with friends and family. My price points are more high-end – tops will retail between $60-80, dresses $180-300.  ENAMOUR is debuting in boutiques and smaller shops rather than department stores…details by the end of the year so check out my site http://www.everythingenamour.bigcartel.com/ in August 2011.  You can find some of my designs there.

Can you name a celebrity who best embodies the spirit of your lines? If I had to pick a celebrity to embody Monarch I would say Alicia Keys.  She is classy, yet hip and she transitions from the red carpet to hanging with friends effortlessly. For ENAMOUR Sport, I’d say Kristen Stewart and maybe Kat Von Dee.  Women who live outside the box fashion-wise, yet, have mass appeal with a lil bit of punk.

If I had to pick celebrities that I want to see IN my clothing…I’d say Chloe Sevigney because she has always been a trendsetter – she pioneers new brands. I’d also say Jennifer Lopez and Kate Moss.  They’re fashion icons and they always look amazing.  And of course, Ms. Alicia Keys!

Being a new designer from an area not associated with the fashion, have you face any obstacles? The biggest obstacles I’ve faced so far are regarding production.  It’s a lot of work to reproduce your designs and it’s the most time-consuming!!!

Being a new designer…can you define success? I’d define success as happiness.  Happiness is so important to being fulfilled. I believe a huge part of achieving happiness is doing what you love. That way work doesn’t feel like a burden but something you enjoy.  Finding success happens so much easier.

In 5 years, where do you envision your collections? I see ENAMOUR being sold in boutiques nationwide and overseas. I see myself owning a flagship store and creating quality collections.

Can we find you on Facebook? Social networking is becoming a huge part of marketing… I like FB as a way to let people know what’s happening with ENAMOUR but lately I’d say I’m a twitter junkie more than anything.  I love that I can almost customize what your twitter feed will be about. Mine is primarily all about fashion with the exception of a bit of comedy.

Twitter: @ENAMOURclothing

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Everything-Enamour/154862837885030

Bfliers…check out Part II of ENAMOUR’s interview!