If you’re a fan of Project Runway, as I am, you remember Chloe Dao from season two. Spunky and talented, she beat out Santino Rice and Daniel Vosovic to win. I wondered what she’d been up to but refuse to watch Wear Are They Now, the re-hash-the-season show, just a blatant attempt to squeeze more ratings out of a reality show. As it turned out, she found me through one of my favorite companies, run by one of the smartest women I know, Alexandra Elliot of Pacific Design.

Chloe just partnered up with them to create stylish cases for laptops, DVD players, iPods and cell phone cases, in bold patterns and vibrant colors. The retro patterns are fun and playful and most importantly, functional. My spoiled iPhone is sporting the blue/gray pinstripe, with its versatile dual design so you can use the iPhone with the flip cover or detach for use as an open face case.

I recently had a chance to interview the busy designer via e-mail:

Q: Why did you decide to create a case collection for Pacific Design?
A: Pacific Design is a great company that is woman-owned and Texas-based. The structure and the location of the company were very appealing to me. I am very proud of my Texas-based business and this was a great opportunity.

Q: Did you like the challenge of developing a case collection? How is it different from designing clothing?
A: I relish the idea of designing anything that is not clothes. I will always love designing clothes; I am very well trained in the fundamental aspects of creating a garment. So when I received a challenge to design a case collection, I loved it because it’s something new and I got to educate myself about a new process. Designing a case collection was definitely easier than designing clothes. It was more of developing prints and computer work. Making clothes is much more difficult and time consuming.

Q: What was your inspiration for the collection?
A: My thought process when creating a collection is never clear cut. It is a process of thoughts and ideas that somehow miraculously morph into a collection. For this collection, I was given guidelines; I gave Pacific Design presentations of my ideas. We went from there …

Q: What have you been doing since Project Runway?
A: I have been working on my collections for my store; I am trying to go into wholesale. I have a line, Simply Chloe Dao, on QVC. I am also the national spokesperson for Dove Ultimate Clear and doing certain charity events. Thankfully, I am very busy.

Prices range from $19.95 for iPod cases to $29.99 for iPhone versions, and only $29.99 for their stunning laptop bags. We’ll be giving away five of Chloe’s cases in our newsletter, so make sure you’ve signed up!

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