Roopal Patel has been active in the fashion industry for as long as she can remember. After earning a Marketing Degree from New York University’s prestigious Stern School of Business, Patel began her career working with a small designer--eventually leading her to join Style.com as their Market Editor. Shortly after, Roopal was named the Senior Women’s Fashion Director at Bergdorf Goodman, eventually taking on the role of Senior Accessories Market Editor at Neiman Marcus. Her acclaimed ability to pinpoint key designer pieces each season contributed to the vision of what Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus are today. In November of 2011, Patel was named Fashion Director at Moda Operandi, an online retailer that enables fashion-savvy customers to order looks straight from the runway.

Treasure: I collect butterflies from Deyrolle in Paris and seashells.
Quote: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005] Steve Jobs
Escape: Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos. It is the perfect three day recharge weekend for me. I go there when I am burnt out and in need of quiet.
Vacation: I have a few weddings to go to which I am making into vacations...Hawaii in August, The Viceroy in Anguilla this November, and then my friend Elizabeth's bachelorette in St. Tropez this summer.
Inspiration: My mom and dad. They inspire me every day. They truly are two of the most amazing individuals I know.
Movie: The Star Wars trilogy
Childhood Memory: Summers at our beach house out East.
Childhood Aspiration: I loved to dance! I wanted to be a dancer.
Work of Art: Edgar Degas
Designer (Past or Present): Yves Saint Laurent
Misconception (about you): People have a pre-conceived notion of what my personality is like because I work in fashion. It is what I do for a living, not who I am as a person. I don't talk about fashion every single second of my day.
Guilty pleasure: My shoes
Junk food: Billy's Cupcakes
De-Stress Mechanism: My acupuncture sessions with Shari Auth. I have been a devoted fan for almost 5 years. It is a part of my routine. I go at least twice a month and weekly during the fashion week marathon.
Cocktail: Green juice from BPC and Organic Avenue
Party: Wherever my friends are, they are the party.
Hangover remedy: Coconut water
Crush: George Clooney
TV show: Downton Abbey, the girls at Moda Operandi are obsessed with this show and got me hooked.
Cartoon Character: Charlie Brown
Restaurant: Bar Pitti
First Job: Urban Outfitters, NYC
Pet Peeve: Being late.
Gift to Give: Tom Ford lipstick and nail polish. The packaging is so chic!
Hidden Talent: I love to cook!
Style Icon: LouLou de la Falaise
First Concert: Duran Duran, I even remember the outfit! Pale grey pants with pink piping down the sides, and a white t-shirt with pink tank over lay. Oh so 80s!
Word that makes you cringe: "Can't" or "No"