Erica Varize, Fashion Designer
is the owner of EVarize Fashion Café®, the Bay Area’s first Cut & Sew Boutique based in Berkeley, CA.
The EVarize Fashion Café®, features a design menu where clients can indulge themselves by selecting the fabric, style, and color of their garment. Clients are then personally fitted by the designer to ensure a custom fit.
Her Passion - EVarize combines urban chic with fabulous retro, creating a bold expression of the designer’s authenticity and sophistication.
Erica’s Roots are deep in her urban community, where she and her husband Darryel, and their two children live, work, play and go to school. It is within her community where her clothing line was first embraced. The line can now be found in a number of retail locations throughout the Bay Area and is also carried at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and two Chicago locations, as well as online at evarize.com.
Latest Project - SEW WHAT Summer Camp for young people is designed to teach the basics of sewing. The 2009 camps have already made a difference in the lives of young people in her community by introducing them to sewing, design fundamentals, and merchandising. Each camp ends with a fashion show featuring the completed designs of every participant.
Speaking Engagements at local schools, such as Julia Morgan School for girls in Oakland and the Art Institute in San Francisco.
Establishment of Internships with many local high schools and colleges, including Berkeley High, Met West, Ralph Bunche, and Street Academy in Oakland, the Art Institute, and the Fashion Institute for Design & Merchandising in San Francisco.
2007 Debut of Measu(RED) Line, which was developed to help raise awareness for HIV/AIDS in Africa. A portion of the proceeds from this line goes directly to HIV/AIDS-related charities and Project Uganda, an ongoing project focusing on supporting a small community in Uganda, where Erica has been working to empower women and youth, demonstrating what it means to “dare to dream”.
Noted Awards for her work, include: “Best New Business” (2006), “Best Specialty Store” (2006), “Best Women’s Clothing” (2007), “Best Cause Award” (2007) for her efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, “Enterprising Woman of the Year Award” (2008), Bank of America’s “Local Hero Award (2008) and 2009 nominee for “Business Woman of the Year” by SF Business Times.
