In this bi-weekly series, we interview female executives, founders, CEOs - basically boss ladies - about the "power suits" - the effortless outfits they wear every day to beat any job.

M.M. LaFleur recently made headlines with its new program (open in new tab) that lends free clothing to women running for public office, whether Congressman or Town Councilman. Those who follow the workwear label will know that this news, while exciting, is not outlandish for the brand.

M.M. LaFleur (open in new tab) was launched in 2013 by Sarah LaFleur and creative director Miyako Nakamura. They have since expanded into suits, shoes, jewelry, and more. Whatever you need for work, you can find it at M.M. LaFleur.

Nakamura is a self-described "Kyoto-born Japanese living in the U.S. who landed in New York after attending a fashion college in Ohio. She worked as an assistant designer for Zac Posen in 2003, creating ready-to-wear looks. She worked there for seven years and graduated as head designer. I really enjoyed working for Zac, and I cherish those memories. But like many in the industry, Nakamura's departure was the result of burnout.

She had been freelancing for Theory and Jason Wu for a while when a headhunter approached her seeking a connection to LaFleur. She said, "Sarah came from a finance background and didn't know many people in the [fashion] industry. I remember that headhunter saying to me, 'You'll like this woman and you'll hit it off,'" Nakamura recalls. We hit it off right away when we met." I was also very interested to see what (M.M. Rahul) would be like."

Almost nine years later, how does she design pencil skirts, blouses, and other office-oriented items that keep her creative and inspired? Instead of suddenly dreaming up new ideas, she now has a more functional direction of what she wants to satisfy in the next season. For example, let's say I want to give them travel clothes, or clothes that are halfway between loungewear and work clothes, and I want to give them something they can wear to work or to school. Then we think about what art would be appropriate for the season, what silhouettes would feel fresh, and how to bring it into the realm of what the customer would feel comfortable with. Inspiration comes from these few constraints. That in itself is a challenge.

As for Nakamura's own work attire, this power woman has a distinctly edgy style that is complemented by classic M.M. LaFleur pieces. This creative director delves deeper into her own personal style.

"When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is make coffee. I have a three-year-old daughter, so my mornings revolve around waking her up, feeding her breakfast, and getting her dressed. After that, I shower and get dressed. This is my favorite time of day. Then I walk to the subway for work."

"I'm a very intuitive person, so I dress according to how I feel that day. We actually have a dress code at work, which is business casual Monday through Thursday and fashion forward on Fridays, but I don't really follow it. Sometimes I want to dress fashionably, sometimes I want to be comfortable. I also decide on one piece that I want to wear that day, whether it's a blouse, a dress, or shoes, and then I decide on other things around that one piece."

"There is one vintage jacket I found that I can't not wear. I wear it almost two days a week. I love high-waisted wide pants, especially slouchy ones. I only wear long skirts, and I don't own anything shorter than my calves. In terms of silhouette, I like knee-length.

For shoes, I love the Comme des Garcons Adrian (opens in new tab), a collaboration with Dr. Martens. It's like a loafer version of Dr. Martens. They're very comfortable and they're made of shiny calf leather, so they dress up my outfit quite a bit. Also, I have very small feet and need volume in my shoes, and these shoes are perfect for my configuration.

[In accessories] I have a Celine bucket bag from when Phoebe Philo was around. I thought it was the best bag I've ever owned because it could hold a laptop. It holds a laptop, it holds everything, and it doesn't lose its shape."

"It's liberating, strong, and comfortable."

"There is a saying in Japan that translates to 'fall down seven times, get up eight times.' ' Basically, it's saying that the best thing you can do in life is to keep trying, even if you fail."

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