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La Americana ROUND TOP SPONSORED PARTNER INSIDE VIEW From America to Italy — A Global Fashion Brand D esigner Tonya Hawkes learned the importance of dressing well early in life. It was a lesson that would eventually lead to the design of her coveted box clutch and a successful international accessories brand. "My mother was a professional model," she says, "so I grew up around runways, fittings, and showrooms … spaces where women transformed, experimented, and found confidence in what they wore." This childhood exposure had a profound impact. When she was a young girl, she sketched, sewed clothes, and crafted jewelry, which led to studying the arts, illustration, and design, and working alongside some of the world's most influential designers and brands. Her career in fashion began at DKNY, where she was vice president of design and senior design director under founder Donna Karan. Hawkes credits Karan as an early mentor and champion. "Everything about her essence had a huge influence on my work," she says. "It was at Donna Karan that I learned how discipline can elevate creativity, and how accessories (small, intentional objects) can completely change how a woman feels when she steps into a room." 70