Embrace Femininity with Designer Silvia Bours

By Monica Avila

 Sitting in the press box at Latino Fashion Live in April gave me the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful dresses in some of the most unique designs in the industry.  Mexican-born designer Silvia Bours easily tops my list of favorite designers.  This up-and-coming Latina designer puts a new spin on feminine.  I talked to her recently and getting to know more about this creative mujer was absolutely a wonderful experience.

 Women are uniquely beautiful

 In her “Doll” collection, Bours celebrates the beauty and femininity of women.  “I always want women to look feminine and so my designs show that.”  Even the textures of the material Bours chooses exude that feminine softness.  Couple that with an unexpected pattern or hand-painted bodice and you have the true combination for exquisite design. 

 One of my favorite dresses in her “Doll” collection is a cream-on-ivory party dress with gorgeous detailing at the neckline.  When I asked Bours about her inspiration she said, “I started out making dresses for my dolls and for this collection; I wanted to make sweet dresses for women of all ages.”  I think she achieved that goal, the “Doll” collection is not only sweet, it is classic and reminded me of a Degas painting of ballerinas. 

Ahead of the trends

 Silvia Bours is the definition of trendsetter.   “I don’t look to other designers or what is trendy right now to see what to do next. I try to stay ahead of the trends and design based on my own feelings.”  With her unique experience and her completely creative mind, it is no wonder that her designs stand out.  Bours was born in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. Just after completing high school she spent time studying the arts and style in France then moved to the United States to complete a design degree at the Art Institute of Tucson.  French influence is absolutely evident in her dress design, as is the liveliness of her Mexican heritage.

 Destination New York Fashion Week

 The future is certainly bright for this young designer, having burst on the scene with her shows in Phoenix Fashion week, Tucson Fashion week and Latino Fashion Live 2013 to name but a few of her runway successes. Silvia Bours is getting noticed.  She’s been getting orders from  all over the world, Italy, Australia,  everywhere. Even with a busy schedule, she’s devoting some time to designing for local beauty pageants in the Miss Arizona and Miss Teen Arizona pageant as well as in the Miss Utah and Miss Teen Utah pageants. She’ll also be spending some time judging Miss Latina Arizona  and Miss Teen Latina Arizona pageants. 

It’s a busy and exciting time for Bours and she’s taking it all in stride.  When I asked what she saw for the future of her brand she was confident in her wish to, “have a show during New York Fashion Week.” Well, there is no doubt in this writer’s mind that sometime in the near future, she’ll get that invite…I just hope I get to go see the show when she does. ;)

 Photo by Erik Fisler at Arizona Latino Live