APiF: Please introduce your business and your designs.
Racquel Dwomoh: I am the creative designer behind the label QuellyRue Designs. QuellyRue Designs is collection of tote bags, African jewelry, contemporary jewelry, hair accessories, and more. All handmade with an Afrocentric flair.
APiF: How does your heritage inspire/influence your designs?
Racquel: The inspiration behind QuellyRue Designs comes from many places – my cultural legacy, my life growing up in the buzzing city of Accra, Ghana, my own crazy imaginations, nature, happiness, truth, colors, textures, African prints and the beautiful women of Africa.
APiF: If your label would be a person, what kind of person would it be? 
Racquel: This person would be bold, Afro-fabulous, expressive, and necessary.
APiF: Fashion Finds: What is your favorite piece in your closet or of your collection and why?
Racquel: I love and adore all the pieces in my collection but my favorite would have to be my tote bags. I truly enjoy the personal connections forged while making these tote bags. They are such a unique reflection of my love for Africa, natural hair, and all the creative wanderings in my mind, my art, and my style.
APiF: How do you market your designs and how do you make them accessible to a global audience? 
Racquel: Although I am based in New York City, I do ship worldwide – making my pieces accessible to a global audience. I market my designs through my blog, facebook, tumblr, twitter, art and craft communities, that sort of thing. I also promote myself in the real world, participating in craft shows, passing out my business cards everywhere and taking any and all the press I can get! I am endlessly thankful for all of the dedicated bloggers (like yourself) who have promoted my work over the years — thank you!
APiF: Any tips for new designers/start-ups in the fashion industry?
Racquel: Align your creations with your vision and your values. There are so many designers making so many incredible goods. You just have to use your own style and your own talent and make the things in the super-special way that is your own.
APiF: What are your fashion plans for 2012?
Racquel: New products, new customers and to hopefully see my work one day grace the cover of a major fashion magazine! I am endlessly working on expanding my collection of fashion accessories. I also have a T-Shirt Line coming soon! This collection is something that I’m working on now and I am super excited about it. I hope my passion for making beautiful things never wanes and that I can continue to live my dream.
Find out more:
shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/quellyruedesigns
f: Like QuellyRue Designs on facebook
t: https://twitter.com/#!/quellyruedesign
Very nice prints that is. I like that, thanx for sharing. keep up with the good work.
Thank you, I agree – I really like the accessories from QuellyRue a lot, too.