Layana Aguilar, the Brazilian-born Project Runway alum, showed her latest designs during the Fall/ Winter 2014 New York Fashion Week.

Aguilar, 29, drew inspiration for her collection from her life, which necessitates an ability to balance her fashion career with a husband and new baby. “I just wanted to have clothes that translate that cool, easy way of dressing,” Aguilar told Uinterview exclusively about her line, which features a combination of leathers and wool, complemented with softer shades. “Fresh colors, still feminine, keeping my Latina accents with a hard edge,” she added, further explaining her look.

If Aguilar could use her design aesthetic to create a look for a Hollywood A-lister, she has no doubt about who she would choose. “Sofia Vergara! I love her – not only is she beautiful, she’s funny. I would love to also hang out with her after the party,” said Aguilar with enthusiasm. The designer also knows exactly how she’d dress Vergara. “I would put her in something very figure-flattering, like a mermaid shape would be great. I also like to expose more of the back, so I’d cover her a bit in the front and give her a really low back. She would look amazing!"

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UserChelsea Regan
Q: What was it like preparing for your first solo New York Fashion Week show? - Chelsea Regan

This was such an amazing journey. I've shown at Lincoln Center, but it was through Project Runway, so I feel like this one is really mine. It’s my show. I almost didn’t show because my life has been so busy nowadays. I have a baby, a husband, but I said, you know what I have to do it. It’s really a translation of finding the balance of my life today. That’s what this collection is about.

UserChelsea Regan
Q: Can you talk more about your inspiration for the designs? - Chelsea Regan

It’s really about how I live today. It’s a balance of life. It’s so hard to juggle a baby, a husband, a household, a career… So I just wanted to have clothes that translate that cool, easy way of dressing. Fresh colors, still feminine, keeping my Latina accents [laughs] With a hard edge. That’s what I came up with.

UserChelsea Regan
Q: What the most challenging aspect of being on Project Runway? - Chelsea Regan

It was really being away from everybody. You’re confined, in kind of like a little prison. The other thing, the show sometimes doesn’t really showcase your talent to the fullest, because you're making clothes in like a couple hours. But, it is a good opportunity and it did open a lot of doors for me.

UserChelsea Regan
Q: If you had to design a Project Runway challenge, what would you have in mind? - Chelsea Regan

I remember when I was there I wanted a mom challenge, because my mom is like my biggest inspiration. I wanted to do a mother challenge, where you could do like a makeover.

UserChelsea Regan
Q: If you could design an Oscar dress for any actress, who would it be and what would you put her in? - Chelsea Regan

Sofia Vergara! I love her – not only is she beautiful, she’s funny. I would love to also hang out with her after the party. I love embracing curves. I would put her in something very figure-flattering, like a mermaid shape would be great. I also like to expose more of the back, so I’d cover her up a bit in the front and give her a really low back. She would look amazing!

UserChelsea Regan
Q: The Olympics are going on now. If you’d been tapped to design the opening ceremony outfits, what would you have had in mind? - Chelsea Regan

Oh my god! I feel like I would design something kind of like this [points to her peplum top]. It’s a neoprene fabric. Kind of like sporty, but at the same time girly, so I would combine that. So like a flirty peplum top, with shorts or something like that. I don’t do menswear!