Finding a professional niche doesn't always reveal itself instantaneously, and Gracienne Myers is living proof.

The free-spirited 33-year-old native of Minas Gerais, Brazil, has worked as a florist, explored Europe, managed a pizza shop and still continues to run a mechanical bull rental company.

But her true passion lies with shoes, which led her to design her own line, Gracienne, and eventually open her shop, Brazilian Explosion, 208 W. College Ave., in 2005, which carries her line as well as other Brazilian-made shoes, accessories and clothing. College Avenue, however, isn't the only place you can find Gracienne shoes. Dallas, New York City and two locations in Los Angeles are also featuring Myers' shoe creations.

Myers has had her shoes featured in a Maserati photo shoot and the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and LA Fashion Week closing shows with Petro Zillia's spring 2008 line. A-list celebrity Paris Hilton also chose to wear Gracienne shoes to the LA Fashion Show, a pair of blue satin and patent leather pumps with gold hardware on the vamp -- the front of the shoe.

"Everything in my life, nothing was planned," said Myers, looking relaxed with her legs crossed, which are donned with nearly knee-high black Western styled boots she designed herself. "I did plan to think positive and to always believe in myself."

But success doesn't faze Myers, a woman who believes in positive energy and belief in oneself.

Now looking to have her name recognized as a high-fashion shoe designer, Myers reflects on her demanding steps toward success and her current direction.

A Brazilian beginning

It all began in Southwestern Brazil, where Myers recognized she had a creative eye from a young age.

"When I was very little, probably around 5 to 7 years old, I started to change things," she said. "My mother would buy certain clothing for me, and I didn't like the way it looked and I started to cut them, make holes in them."

Floral work presented itself as a creative outlet for Myers. From ages 14 to 19, Myers opened and ran her own floral shop, Adri Flores, named for her younger cousin Adriana, whom she raised as her own and hopes will soon join her in America.

Destination ... State College

With increasing economic hardships in Brazil and Myers' desire to try something new, she sold Adri Flores and traveled to Europe. After visiting Belgium, France, the Netherlands and other countries, she said she didn't feel welcome.

At the suggestion of a friend to try State College, Myers hopped on a plane and arrived in the United States in 1998 with hopes of opening another floral shop, knowing little to nothing about her destination.

Myers worked at Woodring's Floral Garden, 145 S. Allen St., for a period of time but decided it was time to move on from floral work. Interested in owning a pizza shop, Myers found herself making and delivering pizza at Brothers Pizza, 410 W. College Ave. When she grew tired of that, an idea came to mind from managing her husband's company, Locomotion DJs.

"I said, 'how about mechanical bulls to rent?' I was strong enough, and I convinced everybody that it would work," she said. "It was a hit."

The company went online and continues to rent out mechanical bulls at www.mechanicalbullsales.com.

With acquired funds from her keen eye for business and the help of a local businessman -- a "great person with a great heart" that Myers says she won't ever forget -- she was eventually able to create Gracienne shoes and open her very own store on College Avenue.

It's a shoe thing

Myers said she follows the creed that the shoe makes the woman.

"Every time I'm on the street and I look at people, the first thing I look at is their feet," she said.

She said she often conceptualizes in her head ways to make shoes she sees better, whether it is the color, style or material. This creative intuition was what inspired her to venture into shoe design three years ago. With a friend, she designed her first line -- exotic-print shoes in about five to seven styles, but it quickly ended when the manufacturer in Brazil went out of business. When clientele wouldn't stop asking about the fun and flirty pumps, Myers said she knew she had to deliver, ultimately leading to the opening of Brazilian Explosion in 2005 and her shoe line, Gracienne.

"I felt a need for something new, something fresh," she said.

Priced anywhere from $100 up to a little more than $400, Gracienne serves up shoes with a discernable Brazilian flair. High leather boots and bright-colored pumps with a flash of animal print are currently featured for the fall/winter line.

"Being from Brazil, we have a great affinity to bright colors," she said. "It's so easy to go crazy, but I need to put my foot down and make sure I don't."

Her shoes' bright personalities led Myers to form a relationship with Nony Tochterman, creator of Petro Zillia, a high fashion line that has earned a celebrity following.

"There was a connection from the time I spoke to her on the phone and told her I could do the designs for her that she needed," she said. "She's energetic just like me and expects everything to be perfect."

Myers delivered all the shoes that Tochterman needed on time for the Mercedes Benz Spring Fashion Show and again for the LA Fashion Show this past October. But Myers had another goal she wanted to achieve: have a celebrity wear her shoe by December.

The opportunity presented itself two hours before Tochterman was about to dress socialite Paris Hilton for the LA Fashion Show. The fashion designer saw the blue pumps Myers had on and asked if she had them in a size 11 -- and she did. Her shipment was arriving Oct. 17, and the grand finale of the show was the next day, just in time to have the A-list celebrity have a size 11 blue-satin Gracienne pump for the show.

Myers attended the same after-party as Hilton and saw she still had on the pair of Gracienne shoes she wore to the fashion show.

"For her to wear it that many hours, it was comfortable," said Myers, who said she takes extra care to make her shoes not only fashion worthy, but also for long hours of pain-free wear.

"I got an e-mail from her friend two days after LA and she said, 'We loved the shoes, we're going to be talking about you,' " she recalled.

Looking ahead

Even though spring seems as far away as Brazil is from State College, Myers said the world of fashion is always a step ahead.

Her spring line is going to be available in a matter of weeks and will feature crystals and more hardware, but as always with Gracienne shoes, will give attention to comfort and style. She has even dabbled with a few designs for 2009, explaining that although two years seems far away, it really is quite close.

As the deadline for the LA Fashion Spring Fashion Show is quickly approaching, Myers said she is ready to contribute again with Petro Zillia.

"We have a great relationship with [Tochterman] and we will be working with her in the future for fashion week or whatever it is -- she is great to work with," Myers said.

State College's location does not seem to be an issue for Myers' growing name in shoes as Penn State students are not the store's biggest buyers. Myers said this is because of the price point and what she believes to be an affinity toward well-known brand names, which she is thankful for.

"I think that the young kids here tend to follow brands. That's one of the reasons for pushing me to go this far to have my products at different locations," she said. "If that's what they want, I will do it."

As for sticking with fashion, Myers said she is content with designing shoes and thoroughly enjoys it, but nothing is deterring her from diversifying within the industry. In fact, Myers has yet another idea: a fashion-related product she said will be released soon.

"I have a great amazing idea. It will be an explosion very soon ... it's just glam," she said. "I'm very excited for my next project coming up."