ANTHONY WILLIAMS
FGI Rising Star Nominee, FGI Member

In the ever-evolving world of luxury fashion, there exists a brand that not only encapsulates timeless elegance but also pioneers’ innovation and inclusivity. Rossario George, under the visionary leadership of founder and designer, Tony Vincente, has emerged as a beacon of sophistication, setting new standards for the industry.

WEBSITE:
rossariogeorge.com

Q and A with FGI President and CEO, Maryanne Grisz

What city were you born in?
I was born in New York but have lived in Seattle for over 20+ years.

What is your star sign?
I’m a Sagittarius to the core baby!

What were you obsessed with when you were a child?
Comic books. I still am. I love the never-ending battles between good and evil and the beauty of knowing that good will always find a way to win.

What do you value most in a friendship?
Truth, honesty, and humility.

What’s your proudest moment?
Being a good doggie parent, Partner to a great man for over 22 years, great cook and ethical business owner.

What’s the best part of your job?
Creating pieces and products that truly make people feel empowered and happy.

What’s your biggest fear?
I’ve dealt with the worst that life can throw at a person and survived. Having done this, I really don’t give power to fear anymore.

Who or what in your life brings you the most joy?
My 2 fur babies and my partner of 20+ years.

How do you spend your day, or what does an ordinary day look like for you?
Wake up and take care of my puppies, work on interviews (Publicity), work with my manufacturers, make dinner and enjoy quality time with the ones I love.

What approach would you take differently if you had to build a business from scratch today?
Not a thing. I would want to experience every misstep and every mistake and learn every lesson I had to so I could be who I am today.

What is your favorite quote of all time, and why?
Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness- Desmond Tutu”. The reason this quite resonates with me is because darkness is all around us in every corner. If you don’t shine, it will overtake you. The darkness has tried its best to sink me but my light can never be diminished.

What book/s will you recommend that everyone should read once in their lives?
Metamorphosis by Kafka. It’s a story about transformation and the fear it can cause. My takeaway from this magnificent book is you fight change but it’s going to happen. So why fight it.

How do you maintain a work-life balance?
What’s that? 😊 I hear about this work-life balance thing but have yet to master it. Being a business owner is a full-time commitment. I start early and end late. This is not a complaint, by the way, it’s my determination.

What are the biggest challenges you faced in your career and how did you handle them?
Hate when your doing good. It’s a sad thing that prevalent in this industry. I ignore it and stay positive and focused. Easy Peasy.

What is the best advice someone ever gave you?
The life you lead is your journey. You get to determine your path and yes, it will be bumpy sometimes but never stray from it because what awaits you is your dream made real.

Who inspires you the most and why?
At my age what inspires me is that I woke up child! Every day is a new opportunity to do something great so get doing people!

What’s the next thing you’re going to do in life?
A LOT! I’m releasing the Honey ready-to-wear and Uccello Couture collections. Continue expanding our 5-star rated and cruelty-free cosmetic lines, showing worldwide and potentially hosting my own talk show.

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