Give me an "S"
As one of Sugarluxe's perkiest cheerleaders, innovative, articulate, creative and inspirational are just a few words to describe illustrator, artist and designer Chandra Michaels. I will let her explain the rest...

"The S for Sugarluxe... is emblematic of the commonalities connecting all my customers. They are undoubtedly women who are Secure and Self-Assured and just as Smart, Strong, and Sexy as they are Supportive and Sweet. The secret is to strike the right balance between these seemingly disparate characteristics."

What is your background?
I'm a University of Texas Graduate and my education is actually in Psychology, with an emphasis on learning and cognition. I've always been fascinated by the factors that influence human performance and motivation. And for me, I'm pretty sure that the motivation behind what I do now with my life really began when I was just seven years old.

That's when I started training as a competitive gymnast. I think the discipline required and the sacrifices made then as a young athlete developed the drive in me that seems to reveal itself in everything I do.
I also think it helped me to uncover my need to create. I had to escape the pressure of such a demanding sport and drawing was (and still is) a good outlet for me.

How did Sugarluxe begin?
The Sugarluxe Brand was designed first and foremost as a crazy, idealistic mission to minimize this destructive "Mean Girls" mentality so rampant today. But you can't just wish for that kind of sweeping social change, I think if you want something bad enough, you have to be willing to get in and risk everything to make it happen.

Creating artwork and products with which people could personally connect is simply a way I figured out that I might somehow be able to do that. So, the identity of Sugarluxe was created long before I actually had anything to sell.

But this is my first full-on digital illustration. I have never had a computer class or any instruction, whatsoever...so, when I went from sketching on paper to drawing on the computer, it was really awful and awkward. I just didn't know how to make the most of this particular medium.

This image took me almost two weeks to complete, now I'm lucky if I have a whole day to create a new illustration. Plus, stylistically, it's totally different from what I wanted to create for Sugarluxe.

What is your latest project?
I just returned from San Francisco. I was asked to paint a Sugarluxe Room for the Hotel Des Arts, which is one of the most talked about boutique hotels in the nation. I had two weeks to complete the entire space and it was definitely a challenge to apply my style of artwork to their highly textured walls. But what an amazing experience!

The hotel features the work of some of the most prominent pop artists alive today. So, it was an incredible honor to get to do this project. John Doffing is this unbelievably cool entrepreneur and curator who coordinated my work with the hotel. He is the founder of START Mobile and the START Soma Gallery. He is a well-respected visionary and regarded as one of the top tastemakers in the world of emerging art. We have collaborated on a couple of other projects and I feel so fortunate to have someone of his caliber believe in me and my work so much.

Did you ever think that Sugarluxe would have such a GLOBAL demand?
Honestly, I’ve always been a pretty big dreamer and having global visibility and distribution of something I created was certainly part of that dream. I’ve got a long way to go and much more hard work ahead, because Sugarluxe is not a household name yet…but I no longer feel shy about my desire to make that happen.

I’m a relatively private person. Even my closest friends don’t often know what I am working on until after it’s written about…so, this year I am trying to be more open about my goals because success with Sugarluxe will not be fully accomplished on my own. It will be an achievement I share with everyone who believes in what it represents.

What are your Favorite -

Designers – My all-time favorite designer is Emilio Pucci. His original prints and signature patterns are works of art that he translated into a fashion empire. Pure genius.

Artists – I adore the work of Josh Agle aka SHAG, he does the retro tiki vibe like no one else – he is amazing. I think Vulcan is mind-blowing. The control he has over a can of spray paint is unreal.

Shops – My favorite store outside of Austin is Sweets, Treats & Designs. The owner, Jerri Turner, makes these homemade white chocolate dipped fortune cookies that are the greatest things EVER! She is in Washington, but I think she might ship, too. I met Jerri right after launching Sugarluxe during Dallas Market and she was the VERY first boutique to take a chance on me. It has ended up being the most wonderful relationship and she really set the bar for me when it comes to who we select to sell Sugarluxe.

In Austin my new love is Soigné Boutique. This store is so GORGEOUS and the owner, Amy Schalk, is a just as fabulous. The shop she designed is sophisticated and delicate, but there is no snootiness about it. That’s important to me.

Book – My favorite non-fiction book is Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. I think this a must read for any entrepreneur.

Film – I love the movie My Life with Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman. It’s about making every moment count. On a lighter note, my guilty pleasure movie – and I can’t believe I am admitting this – is Showgirls. It’s so awful and I just love it.

Your Favorite things? I wouldn’t want to live without my family (or sushi).