Turns out, it’s impossible to be a blogger without Internet. It’s actually hard to be a normal human being without Internet. It’s been out for almost two weeks now, and I have no idea how I’ve made it this long. I’m finally getting it fixed today, so hopefully things can return back to normal around here.

In the midst of my Internet absence Nola Fashion Week and Fashion Week New Orleans have both been going on.

One of my favorite New Orleans-based brands, Passion Lilie, will be presenting for the first time tonight at Fashion Week New Orleans. I was lucky enough to get to talk to designer Katie Schmidt about the collection and the inspiration behind it.

Passion Lilie is a fair trade clothing line handmade in India, which offers women in remote villages safe working conditions with fair wages. Katie said the Indian culture inspires her fabric choices, which are the foundation of her line.

Katie said she wanted the line to feel feminine and flirty and wanted to play with a bit of vintage inspiration. She incorporated paisley prints and soft colors, which were inspired by the colors of the beach- from the sand and the ocean to the sky.

She said her collection is about being cool and comfortable in lightweight cotton during the New Orleans heat while still looking fab and supporting ethical fashion.

Katie, who is originally from California, said she’s definitely been inspired by the laid back, casual vibe too. However, the freedom, bright colors, and hot New Orleans weather also inspire her designs.

“New Orleans and California are very similar in some ways,” she said. “But I feel that California has much more structure and sometimes I find myself fitting between structure and flow or freedom in my designs.”

Katie said her favorite item of tonight will be The Spinnaker Pants. She’s been making these pants for the past couple of years in different fabrics picked up from her travels, but this is the first time she’s made them for others.

Katie said prepping for fashion week has been a whirlwind of excitement and has involved little sleep. She said it’s the little victories that make those sleepless nights worthwhile and make her love her job.

She was recently picked up by a retailer in New York City, and a stylist bought three Passion Lilie dresses for the upcoming movie Best of Me. How cool is that?!

Best of luck to Katie tonight at Fashion Week New Orleans! Keep up with SF on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest!