It began with a Valentino Fashion Show on the Oprah Winfrey Show almost 25 years ago. Fast forward to the summer of 2010: Oprah is preparing to say farewell to her audience, Valentino continues to charm the world with romantic, classic Red Carpet ensembles and the impressionable 8-year-old captivated by that Valentino Fashion Show has emerged to become one of Atlanta’s most sought after designers.

Reco Chapple’s ingenious designs value the female body. “I love to show off the best features,” says Reco who designs to accentuate, hide or camouflage. “If you don’t have a large bust, but you have a nice figure and nice hips, you can get the asymmetrical ruffled blouse,” says Reco, whose favorite designers are Bob Mackie and Thierry Mugler. If you have a nice bust, but you want to tone down your hip he has an alternative. “You can get a sweetheart cut ruffled dress that shows your bust but not so much of your hip,” says Reco who would love to work with Sarah Jessica Parker, Whitney Houston and Beyonce.

“My particular woman is very sexy, very confident, like a lot of the women in my family,” says Reco, who has two sisters and one brother. His mother cultivated his interest and love for clothing. “She had a fabulous wardrobe when I was young,” says Reco, who adds that his mom is an artist who can sew, very well. “She taught me how to draw at an early age, back in the 80’s.” Reco remembers dresses with fitted bodices and big bottoms and polka dot patterns from that era. He grew up at a bright and cheerful time in fashion, characteristics of his own playful personality (We began our interview with him breaking out in an impromptu rendition of SWV’s 1993 hit single, Weak).

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