21- year- old designer debuts runway collection
With mega- designer
CarmenMarc Valvo
Jonathan
as a mentor,
seems to be on a fast track to fashion fame.
The 21- year- old Houston native debuted his first collection, under the name Jonathan Blake, last week at a highsociety fashion show at the Junior League.
Tinkle said he met Valvo in New York after the designer’s Houston visit last year during Fashion Houston. “I learned somuch from Carmen, like time management and fabric quality,” Tinkle says. “I also learned you can do this at a very young age, but you have to grow up quickly.”
Since graduating from high school, Tinkle has quicklymatured in his craft, studying fashion design at the Art Institute of Houston. He credits instructor an established robe and sleepwear designer, with teaching him the basics about the Houston market and customer.
The Jonathan Blake collection featured 27
Tinkle
Jane Carlton,
looks, including specialoccasion dresses, evening wear and separates, with prices from $ 700 to $ 2,000.
The collection is not yet in stores, though it’s being considered by several locally.
“When I’m65, I want to have an established brand, with men’s and women’s wear and even fragrances,” Tinkle said. “I know it will take a lot of hard work, and it will take a village because you have to have help.”
Miss Texas USA 2012 wearing a stunning red Jonathan Blake gown, walked the runway with
Brittany Booker,
Tinkle for his finale. Among those at the event were Tinkle’s good friend and mentor
Carolyn Farb, Lucinda Loya, Faith LeeMajors
and ( yes, the SixMillion Dollar man), former Mrs. Texas 2005
Kym Jackson, Amir Taghi
David Peck.
and