by Mari Johnson

Created on: February 13, 2008   Last Updated: February 14, 2008

Chandra Michael's super-hot Sugarluxe, America's Sweet Art range of belt buckles and other accessories have been generating media buzz not just in Texas, but across the nation. Of course these aren't "sit on your vanity and be admired" sort of accessories. Sugarluxe belt buckles, valet key rings, card cases and compacts are sturdy and made to be used. They hold up beautifully day after of wear. (I should know, I'm terribly hard on anything that lives in my purse!)

Chandra Michaels is the image of her brand. She is a University of Texas graduate and a style darling in a town that loves fashion and free spirits. A talented artist and gifted fashionista, she's also a savvy business women and knows what it takes to make a brand work. "Living in a city that is home to famous actors, legendary musicians, and of course, a computer powerhouse like Dell means that I come from a place that nurtures new talent and new technology. And I'm just so excited to be part of that!" she says.

Michaels has felt the growing pains of a booming business and is in her third design studio in three years. All work is done in-house, in Austin, Texas. Her three hard working interns "set the stage" for the event and attested to the passion that goes into each work and each piece that leaves the studio. Lindsay Robinson (who is in her 4th semester as an intern for Sugarluxe), Kimberly Heine, and Elynna Garcia (both in their first internship semesters) are graduating seniors in Public Relations. Chandra is very committed to making sure interns who enter her program get real-world experience in building a brand from the ground up and taking their vision from the drawing board to the customers' hands. Her commitment to the student experience will gain even more momentum from her partnership with Bed, Bath and Beyond this Fall for their back-to-school dorm room accessories.

Sugarluxe artwork has superflat inspired styling with such vibrant lines and luscious, candy-bright colors, they practically beg to be touched! Michaels achieves her extraordinary designs by starting first with sketches and paint, but then transferring that work onto the computer, creating a scalable graphic design (scalable vector graphic or SVG) that can be adapted to a multitude of products. The result is a stunning array of fashion forward and glamorous accessories that are both versatile and functional. Her high gloss, glass-like belt buckles are the epitome of the trend - something as functional (and ubiquitous in Texas) as a belt buckle, turned into enchanting, wearable artwork.

As Sugarluxe approaches its 3rd anniversary on Valentine's Day, the brand certainly has a lot to celebrate. Michaels was invited to debut her line during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in 2005 and the buzz hasn't let up for an instant since. Sugarluxe has its own coveted (No. 504) Painted Room at the Hotel des Arts, San Francisco. Chandra Michael's highly distinctive works of art have been seen on MTV, Helio, Playboy, Allure Magazine, Spirit of the Brand Vodka, Virgin, and Rare Magazine, T-Mobile's Sidekick ID, CMT, ColorWare, Brides Magazine, LA's Daily Front Row Magazine, Us Weekly, Fox News, AOL Hometown Hero, New Era Publishing, XLR8, Hollywood's Swagtime, Tribeza, among many others.

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