As a graphic designer the last thing on Dana Cooper's mind was to become a print designer.

But whilst working in Beijing, a friend suggested that she give it a go. However at the time she was busy as a commercial designer and didn't pursue it.

Many years later, she designed the Bay Grape Leaf designs and sold pareos (sarongs) and other items with the image.

Within the past year, she was called upon again to create fabric designs for her friend Gigi Mortimer and PR executive Courtney Moss for Glamourpussnyc.com's summer line.

Ms Cooper set about creating all things Bermuda for the chic beach ponchos, which have since been described as 'Pucci-esque' by some.

Her bold prints have recently been featured in VOGUE, Glamour and VIVRE magazines and Tory Burch online to mention a few. The ponchos were a hit in the US and the Caribbean this year.

The line is hand-batiked and hand-sewn and is produced in Bali, Indonesia.

Tomorrow evening, Ms Cooper will feature her ponchos in the Bermuda Collective Fashion Show at the Bermuda Society of Arts.

"Each piece is a little different, making each one a wearable piece of art," stated Ms Cooper.

Ms Cooper and Ms Mortimer's friendship began here in Bermuda. And when the pair went to their respective universities in New York, they were flatmates. Ms Cooper attended Parsons School of Design and Ms Mortimer the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Ms Mortimer earned her design stripes by creating accessories for Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren, while Ms Cooper worked as an art director designed magazines and newspapers in the US, China and Bermuda. These include, 'The Week', 'The Wall Street Journal', 'The Sun Newspaper', 'The Washington Post', 'Hearst' and 'Conde Nast Publications', and 'The RG Magazine'.

Ms Mortimer always admired Dana's art for its whimsical Bermudian colours and her way of capturing the carefree spirit.

Since the launch, the ponchos were quickly snapped up by stores in the US and Caribbean such as in all 40 stores of Calypso St. Barth, Mandarine store in St. Barth's, Lotty's in Mustique, Rib & Rhein in Newport, Rhode Island and the New Ocean House in Watch Hill.

Locally they are available at the A.S.Cooper's Fairmont Southampton, and at the Regalia Shop in the Tuckers Point Hotel. And from February they will be carried at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Ms Cooper's Bali connection came from when she lived in Beijing.

"A friend of mine from Singapore suggested I visit them in Bali," she said.

"While there, she encouraged me to design some Balinese products like beach pareos (sarongs). I was designing for a magazine in Beijing at the time, and was too busy to embark on the production line, so I held off."

A few years later the same friend asked her to design something for the Singapore SPCA. While doing that, she mentioned again that I should design some items on fabric.

"I started with one item, a pareo, to keep it simple as I was still working as a commercial designer.

"Having worked in print media for years... it seemed like a natural progression to see it on fabric."

As for choosing the Bermuda Bay Grape, she wanted somthing that was "bold and eye-cathcing".

"Being Bermudian, naturally I thought of the colour of the sand and the ocean, the trees and flowers along the shore.

"The Bay Grape tree is ever present and protects the shores.

"I came up with the concept of a single Bay Grape leaf surrounded by turquoise water and floating islands.

"I sketched out a few ideas in colour. Bali then took the sketches and translated them to fabric and the result was stunning.

"This followed with a bouquet of coloured variations of the Bay Grape leaf design and I began showing them at the large trade shows in New York City."

These were sold to stores such as the Montego Bay Ritz Carlton, the Palm Beach Four, Calypso Bermuda and A.S.Coopers.

"Calypso Bermuda asked for the Bay Grape to be featured on wooden items, which became an exclusive collection for them at the time."

From childhood buddies to fashion collaborators has been in the works from time immemorial.

"We have talked about collaborating on something, for a long time, we thought maybe it would be a book project a few years back, but it turned out to be this line.

"She wanted to use my existing Bay Grape print and transform it into a dress, something more than a pareo.

"We immediately started to brainstorm on the shape and design. In true partnership we brought our skills together and created the product, The Summer Poncho."

Visit the website www.Glamourpussnyc.com in late Fall to see her resort and spring summer prints for 2011.