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"  How did you get into designing women&amp;#039;s shoes and bags? I was looking for another passion to express my creativity while simultaneously supporting my philanthropic efforts through The Milagro Foundation, and making females happy through my shoe and handbag lines has given me tremendous satisfaction. If the females are happy then everyone is happy.  Does your music inspire your designs?  My musical state of mind is always part of every part of the Carlos Santana brand, whether it&amp;#039;s a handbag or a shoe or a fedora. Melody is the woman and rhythm is the man. Both are necessary and feed off each other in music as in fashion.  What advice would you have for someone wanting to start their own line or business?  Focus, focus, focus! Go after your dream, have a point of view and be true to yourself, believe in yourself and your dream, dreams do come true if you believe and work from the heart.   What were some of the challenges you faced in starting out and how did you overcome them?  In general, there haven&amp;#039;t been any serious challenges because failure isn&amp;#039;t much of an option for me. At first, though, it was hard for people to associate me with footwear and handbags, but eventually once people saw the quality and style, which spoke to their aesthetic, we were given permission through trust and even more doors opened.   Describe your customer?  I&amp;#039;m always looking for a new color or feeling or sensation, so there&amp;#039;s nothing ho-hum or &amp;#039;been there, done that&amp;#039; about my existence. I feel that this transcends the brand and the people who wear my creations. My customer is a person who is not emotionally invested in fear, and that makes her supremely attractive. She is confident, a go-getter, the woman who knows who she is and what she wants, understands style and trend and wants to be fashionable.  What would you say is your design signature?  Symetry of color, texture and confidence that makes the woman who wears or carries my products feel special while inspiring and transcending her confidence and inner balance.  What tips would you give our reader on wearing your shoes (when, where, how, with what fashions)?  Walk like you own clarity, peace of mind, good health and happiness. Utilize my Carlos by Carlos Santana shoes, bags and hats to compliment and make your outfit. Create your own unique style by embracing your individuality and your own true self.   Best piece of fashion advice for women?  Follow your heart and your own style, be who you are, be comfortable and do what speaks to you \u2013 embrace your individuality.  Celeb you&amp;#039;d most like to see in your shoes?  I like to see celebrities, as well as all women, that exude femininity, individuality and supernatural style, just like who my customer is. If I had to pick one, she&amp;#039;d have to embody all of that and have exceptionally pretty feet! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/interviews/a4063/carlos-santana-interview/>