Sharise Neil
Photo by Steven James May
SHARISE NEIL MAKES EVERYONE LOOK GOOD IN GREEN!
By Envi-Image
Envi-Image sat down with fashion designer Sharise Neil, for a little Q & A. Sharise Neil is the designer and co-owner of Pink Polka Dot. Sharise is naturally eco-conscious, having grown up surfing the beaches of Orange County, California. She says, "I consider my style, a little bit of surf and a ton of Rock N' roll. I want to make women feel sophisticated and sexy when they wear my things. My philosophy is simple...show a little, hide a little." Pink Polka Dot's hip dresses and trendy tops fly off the shelves at stores all across America. Inspired by her rocker chick days (she was once married to Motley Crue singer Vince Neil) and her love of music, Sharise has a new, edgier line called "Pink Rock Los Angeles", and is launching her bikini line, cleverly called, "Kandy Wrappers"...OMG! Eco-cute!
Envi-image: What makes Pink Polka Dot Eco-friendly?
Sharise Neil: The thing that makes my company green, is the cute little saying they taught my son in kindergarten, --"reduce, reuse and recycle"...We reduce the production of fabrics being made because we use the extra rolls the huge companies make but don't need anymore, they then sell them to a smaller warehouse where I will find them and buy them. This is also reusing something already in existence, so as not to produce more dyes from chemicals in our air or wastelands or use more resources to make these goods. We recycle our left overs giving them to art schools or students for free!!!
Envi-Image: Did you always want to be a fashion designer?
Sharise Neil: Always. I created Pink Polka Dot because I've always loved fashion, even as a little girl I would make all the Halloween costumes for my family. For me it's a passion I never tire of. Getting paid to do it is icing on the cake...Im really just making the things I want to wear and am flattered that other people feel the same. I now have a second Line called" Pink Rock Los Angeles" which is an edgy more night time feeling line that captures the flavor of LA Night Life. I am also working as a designer for a Bikini Line called "Kandy Wrappers" could it get any better!!!
EI: What's your favorite charity?
SN: I have a soft heart for African children...they have it so tough...I donate to several charities there encompassing the aids epidemic and the water relief programs I also give to the malaria nets to keep the kids safe while they sleep...its still not enough someday I will go there and donate my time as well.
EI: What makes you mad?
SN: Children that die for no reason...war, abuse, starvation, simple vaccines that are not available.....
EI: What inspires you?
SN: I am inspired by many things like Oprah and all the good she does, by Hillary Clinton for going for it in a mans world, by Obama for never losing his cool, by my parents who kept it together for all these years and from a simple fashion magazine for all the creative ideas that come from artistic minds...
EI: When is the last time you cried?
SN: The last time I cried was when I watched the news and heard how a stepfather had beat the six year old in his custody to death, after the child had told everyone...teachers, neighbors, doctors and the incredibly stupid case worker that he was being hit and punched!!! Are you kidding me....this is still happening!!!!!
EI: What was your first job?
SN: My first job was a model for a waterbed ad in a magazine when I was 15...
EI: What makes you feel sexy?
SN: what makes me feel sexy is long hair and high heels...oh yea and a pink polka dot dress!!!
EI: What's on your IPod?
SN: My iPod has a myriad of different kinds of music....Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, Jay Z, The Killers, Beyonce, Cheap Trick, Led Zeppelin Van Halen, Kings of Leon, Abba, Biggie and Tupac of course...
EI: What's in your make-up bag?
SN: 5 different pink lip glosses, how'd they all get in there?
EI: Who are your heroes?
SN: My heroes are MOMS!!! How do we do it all???? And still look sexy!!!! its such hard work........remember in your 20's when you just went shopping, made lunch dates and still had time to get your nails done.....go to the beach...take a belly dancing class....read a magazine from start to finish....
EI: How do you teach your child to be green?
SN: We turn off the water when we brush our teeth, we recycle all plastic and glass and paper products, try to always keep the lights off in rooms we are not using, we grow our own tomatoes and herbs and put all natural extras like orange rinds or banana peels back into the earth in the garden...and open windows instead of running our air conditioner.
EI: What is your most treasured possession?
SN: Easy, my son...light of my life.
Where to buy:
Anat B (310) 385-7917 --271 S Beverly Dr. Beverly Hills, CA. 90212
Aisle 10 (817) 922- 8422 --3464 Blue Bonnet Circle Ste 120 Ft. Worth, TX. 76109
Foxy Lady (941) 346- 5405 --209 Beach Rd Sarasota, FL. 34242
Flirt (203) 287- 0092 --3551 Whitney Ave Hamden, CT. 06518
Polkadot and Moonbeams (323) 655- 3880 --8367 W. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA. 90048
J Hampton (713) 523- 9443 --2433 University Blvd Houston, TX. 77005
Nika le Butik (847) 696- 1700 --143 N Northwest Hwy. Park Ridge, IL.60068
Opaj (817) 581- 1717 --5615 --5615 Colleyville Blvd. Colleyville, TX. 76034
Teen Pix (516) 921- 2863 --222 Jericho Tpke Syosset, NY. 11791
Olive (425) 836-4298 --23535 NE Novelty Hill Road, Redmond, WA
