Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/56249
"I wear what feels good and looks good. I always dress according to the occasion. I think women are most beautiful when they exude confidence." Her favorite piece in her wardrobe—a plaid Carolina Herrera New York cape—is not trendy and is, in fact, eight years old. "I love it more and more every year." De Báez's experience and down-to-earth attitude shine through with her first foray into design for CH Carolina Herrera, making its debut this spring. Taking one of the collection's most popular bags— a tote-like bag called the Matryoshka—and rethinking it, de Báez created the Mini Matryoshka capsule collection. "My mother has always carried small bags and adhered to the notion that in doing so, it enables you to carry only what is essential—a wallet, your phone, a lipstick and your keys," she explains. "Drawing on my mother's small purse philosophy, I wanted to inject a bit of whimsy into these bags...to design a bag full of personality that could serve as both a day and evening accessory." The resulting bold and playfully colored bags were so alluring to the elder Herrera that she unveiled them at her spring 2012 runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. "It was such an exciting moment for me!" de Báez adds. Her worldly influence is also showcased at the new CH Carolina Herrera at the Bal Harbour Shops, which combines the old with the new. Classical furniture pieces from the 18th and 19th Century complement the Art Deco elements creating a rich, multilayered environment. Carrying the complete CH line—including women's, men's, accessories and children's wear—this shop was long anticipated. "We have always wanted to open a CH Carolina Herrera store in Bal Harbour and have just been waiting for the right moment," de Báez says. "My mother has always carried small bags and adhered to the notion that in doing so, it enables you to carry only what is essential—a wallet, your phone, a lipstick and your keys."—Carolina Herrera de Báez 38 BAL HARBOUR