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Audrey Johnson: Live, in Princeton, New Jersey, on The Audrey Johnson Show.
We're here in the studio with Jean-Ralph Thurin. He's the designer.
Could you share with the world out there, who are you?
Jean-Ralph Thurin: Well, my name is Jean-Ralph Thurin.
I'm a Haitian-born designer, and I have my salon here in New Jersey.
I do bridal gowns, custom gowns, and also evening wear, and a little bit of everything.
I design my own shoes. I do my own jewelry. I do a custom package.
I mean, if a bride comes to me, I can literally dress you from head to toe, and it's all custom.
You know, I can put your name on the shoes, your name on the sole.
All my shoes are made in Italy, and it's just wonderful craftsmanship.
So I'm really able to do the whole thing.
Audrey Johnson: So what's happening here tonight?
Jean-Ralph Thurin: We're doing a networking party at my salon here in Princeton.
And basically, Donnella [Tilery] is part of... she's the head of New Jersey Fashion Week.
And she has asked us to be in this. So we are going to be participating in New
Jersey Fashion Week in October [2011]. And part of this party also, we're going to
be doing... Vitamin Water, which is sponsored by Coca-Cola.
And we're going to be doing a fashion show - slash - competition.
And I'm one of the designers that she entered. And I'm looking forward for that too.
It's going to be a first too. It's pretty interesting.
Audrey Johnson: How do you feel about that? Because, you know, you got to win that one,
right?
Jean-Ralph Thurin: You know... Like every designer, you want to win.
And then, you know, all that stuff. But I'm going to give you the answer that
you hear most of the time, you know. It's all about the craft for me, believe it
or not, that I'm really enjoying it because it's going to be something exciting.
Yes, I would like to win, but I'm more... I'm really more interested in just having...
showcasing what I do. Which is, like I say, really couture.
I study that, and I went to school for that. So it's really the elements of design. So
it's great.
Audrey Johnson: So that's where you're going to focus your attenion on?
Jean-Ralph Thurin: Absolutely. That's my focus for this show.
You know, we each got a flavor. And we each were supposed to basically get inspiration.
And my inspiration for my flavor, which is Lemonade, and is called 'squeezed,' is to
squeeze as many design elements into what I do.
And then really, to really make it a couture showpiece.