“There’s an amazing generation of working women who celebrate the fact that they are doing everything—and celebrate the fact that they have families, and girlfriends, and aren’t having to suppress that side of themselves.” – Ivanka Trump

  The old adage that “beauty is pain” is one that falls on deaf ears nowadays. While the motto is not entirely obsolete, some will go to outrageous lengths in the name of fashion, while the majority of others opt for comfort and a wardrobe that seamlessly transitions from nine to five. As an outspoken advocate for this nine to five woman, Ivanka Trump has created a wealth of apparel, footwear, and even accessories that cater to the hectic and often demanding lifestyles of working women. On November 6, Trump touched down in Dallas to visit Neiman Marcus North Park Center to mix and mingle with guests and to introduce the latest installment of her rapidly growing venture—the Ivanka Trump “Rock Tradition” jewelry collection. Decked out from head to toe in her signature clothing line, the heiress sat down with DFW Style Daily to intimately divulge the details surrounding her newest jewelry launch, newly branded website, and of course, talks of “Daddy Dearest.” From NYC to the Big D, read on for more insight into the inner workings of this fearless mogul, as she continues to nurture her niche while designing for the modern working woman.  

  DFW Style Daily: The "Rock Tradition" jewelry collection is a modern twist to styles popular from the 20's to the 60's. What other inspiration did you draw from while designing this latest line of contemporary jewels? Ivanka Trump: “My inspiration is always architecture. I’ve had the good fortune of spending so much time traveling, that typically traveling and architecture end up melding into my collections. A lot of the pieces have an art deco sensibility inspired by great places…places that are near and dear to my heart [and] that capture my imagination.”   With over 100 pieces included in each jewelry collection that you launch, how do you keep your creativity flowing? “We’ll have rings that will inspire bracelets that will inspire necklaces and back again. Then we’ll build upon collections that people love that were very successful. Part of the fun of having a creative business is testing. You’re always pushing your limits and trying to do something new. The ultimate validation is when people love it.”   What type of woman do you envision while you are in the creative process of designing? "Very much the modern, professional woman. For decades women have been mothers, businesswomen, marathon runners, and everything in between. There was more nervousness about showing the feminine side of ourselves in a corporate context and vice versa. This new generation of women is very multi-faceted and unabashedly so."  

   If you had to choose several "must-haves" from your newest collection, what would they be? "Definitely pieces from the Metropolis Collection because they are day to night. The way we dress now is that we get up and get dressed in the morning and that’s it. We’re running in between meetings and out to meet our friends for dinner, then home to our kids—so having pieces that have enough pop and interest that can take us into our evening, but are also extremely wearable during the course of the day is really important.”   You recently re-branded and launched a new website under IvankaTrump.com catering to "women who work." What sparked this re-design? “I wanted to create a website and a destination for the modern, working woman. She’s learning and growing, and I wanted to create a website that spoke to her. There’s a lot of mentorship where there’s a 70-year-old man talking about how he did it, and that’s excellent and super valuable but also less accessible. I really feel like no one is speaking to ‘her’ in a peer to peer way. Every post on the site is through the filter of this working woman.”   Can you pinpoint one thing that Donald Trump has taught you that has helped you achieve success with your multiple business ventures? “On a basic level he’s always insisted that anything that I do, I must love. Irrespective of intelligence, you’re not going to achieve great things unless you’re legitimately passionate about what you’re doing. The smartest and the most accomplished people I know in business aren’t necessarily the smartest or the guys who got the best grades at Harvard. They are the people who work so much harder than everyone else. You can’t do that unless you truly like what you’re doing.”    Lastly, guest appearing on Celebrity Apprentice or Project Runway--which one was your favorite? “C’mon, Celebrity Apprentice! I do love Project Runway though!”    All photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus, North Park Center.