Named one of Seattle magazine’s Most Influential People of 2012 for her Pink Carpet Project (a response to the Susan G. Komen kerfuffle), Cameron Levin’s Ruby collection of pretty and completely wearable tops, dresses, skirts and a legging contains some sweet options for holiday parties—both dressy and casual. I spoke with Levin about the inspiration behind the collection:

Ali Brownrigg: What inspired all the red?

Cameron Levin: About 10 years ago, I lived in Spain for a short time, and being a dancer, I was naturally drawn to flamenco. The costumes are visually exhilarating and have so much impact—not just because of the excessive ruffle detail and fullness—but because of the brilliant hues and contrasting color palette. I also think that every woman looks good in either a bold red or oxblood, which are two colors that are very much on trend right now.

Gypsy skirt, $140

AB: Who are your design icons and influences?
CL: I love the sleek minimalism of Alexander Wang, and (to the contrary) the opulence and theatrics of Alexander McQueen. However, during the design process I tend to draw upon other visual inspirations outside of fashion or other designers (e.g. nature and movement—particularly dance) and sometimes non-visual inspirations, like emotional responses to what’s going on around me.

AB: Who is the woman you are dressing for?

CL: I’m designing for women who love fashion, the arts and care about building a sustainable future.

AB: What’s your favorite piece from the collection?

CL: I vacillate between the Organic Spiral Skirt and the Gypsy Skirt. The former is eco-friendly predominantly made out of organic cotton), comfortable yet dramatic, and offers a bit of sex appeal with the wrap-around silk chiffon paneling. I also love the Gypsy Skirt because it has that same bit of drama with the staggered silk chiffon paneling from the mid thigh, calf, and ankle, and as a flared maxi skirt, it has great movement and swing to it. Plus, the color is show-stopping.

Spiral skirt, $90

Shop for Cameron’s designs from the Ruby collection at Karan Dannenberg.