Award-winning designer Mary Porter, who’s been creating couture fashions since 1979, relaunched her career in Charleston when she opened her boutique, Mary Porter Couture, in November 2008 and presented her runway show at last year’s Charleston Fashion Week.Since this rejuvenation of her label, Mary has been designing couture pieces for the theater, the red carpet, and fashion events spanning the East Coast. On Thursday, March 18, she returns to the CFW runway as a featured designer, unveiling her latest collection inspired by Parisian couture.

Here’s what Mary had to say in this fill-in-the-blanks on her life as a designer:

I started designing when I was maybe seven, creating ball gowns for my little sister's Barbie Dolls. I began designing professionally in 1979.

I would describe my personal style as classic, timeless, elegant.

My top two favorite items in my closet are black boots and a black jacket.

The thing that motivates me to design the most is gorgeous fabric—my medium as an artist.

In my opinion, the thing that makes a great designer is following one’s true artistic abilities and not copying trends or other designers’ ideas.

My favorite fabric to work with is silk, silk, silk, whether it be jersey, taffeta, organza, or chiffon.

My greatest accomplishment in fashion is presenting a 40-page catalog of my original designs in 1985 that was featured in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Town & Country—quite a feat for a 27-year-old.

The one thing I wish I could change about the fashion industry is to stop relying so much on computers. Even pattern grading and sketching are now so computerized that the real art of fashion is being lost and  true design artisans are becoming extinct . What a shame.

When I cast models for my runway presentation, I look for  elegance and confidence.

I think every woman’s wardrobe should have classic black pumps.

Haute Couture is:  Technically it translates as “high fashion,” but to me it means artistic designs meticulously created from luxurious fabrics and made exclusively to the client’s measurements—that’s what I do best!

My biggest challenge as a designer is creating every vision that comes to me; there just isn’t enough time.

My dream red-carpet client to style/design for is Queen Latifah, especially since she is not a model size 2 and because of her confidence in who she is.

My inspiration wall is filled with  pictures of Paris, historical costumes, fabric swatches, and my sketches

The most bizarre design I ever created was  an ensemble (complete with hat) made entirely from items from the hardware store, including porch screening, an air conditioner cover, washers, and duct tape. It had a very couture style to it and was featured in the Charleston City Paper and in ads for the Charleston Ballet Theatre's Decadent Divas. It was a fun project to show I can create beautiful couture from anything.

Most people don’t know that in addition to designing I also  play the piano and sing. I am classically trained. I sang at Carnegie Hall, was in several Broadway productions in North Carolina, and was the soprano soloist with the North Carolina Symphony in several concerts.

If I was to make a mix tape for someone, it would include a lot of song selections by Andrea Bocelli,  Eva Cassidy, and Nancy LaMott.

The best fashion advice I have received is  “Be confident in who you are.”

 For tickets to the CFW Runway Shows on Thursday, March 18, including featured designer Mary Porter Couture’s Fall 2010 collection, click here.