ELLE: What inspired the Macy’s Impulse line?
Nicole Richie: While I was working on Fashion Star with the designers, who were presenting collections to the buyers each week, I really got the opportunity to understand the buyers’ points of view—especially Macy’s. When we decided to do this partnership, I was just off the heels of Fashion Star, and I really had my ears open that entire time, just taking in all of the information that I possibly could.

ELLE: How did you apply what you learned from Fashion Star to your designs?
NR: I just focused a little bit more on the Macy’s girl, who aims towards that eclectic, fun, version of fashion. She loves mixing and matching. So I did a play on that in a few different ways by mixing masculine and feminine, such as a top with faux leather and chiffon, which is one of my favorites. Or I did dresses with the same prints with different color ways to give it a multidimensional feel. Macy’s is the iconic American retailer; and I feel that today more than ever, American woman are so multidimensional. They’re wearing so many different hats, so this is kind of my nod to them: designing pieces that represent all different sides to the American woman.

You can read the full interview on Elle’s website by clicking here.