Carmen Marc Valvo champions women warriors

LEANNE ITALIE

NEW YORK (AP) — Red-carpet designer Carmen Marc Valvo has been dressing the rich and famous for decades, including Queen Latifah and other notables with curves.

Does that make him a rarity?

"I think the Europeans are more at fault," said one of the nicest guys in fashion in a backstage interview before his New York Fashion Week show Friday.

"The Americans are larger than the Europeans. They just are, so I do embrace that. I think a woman should be sexy and just be who she is."

This time around, Valvo turned out a woman warrior in armor-looking gowns, down to the ground, some with chain-link accents and metal beads inspired by a recent trip to Turkey.

There's a certain life cycle when you've been in the business as long as Valvo, who's 60.

"Who's my customer? I grew up with some of them," he said. "I made their wedding gowns and now I'm dressing their daughters."

___

Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie