Erica Cerulo Sure, there are hundreds of different fashion-centric websites angling for our attention, but there are probably a dozen keeping us interested on a daily basis.  The secret to Of a Kind is its simple formula: every week, Erica Cerulo (along with her partner Claire Mazur) choose one designer with whom they collaborate on a limited edition piece. They produce a maximum of 50 pieces of the result and feature the designer on their homepage to help promote the on-the-rise designers.  We chatted with Illinois-born Cerulo to learn some of her other secrets.

ELLE: What is your favorite smell?

EC: Lilacs. There were massive lilac bushes in the yard of the house I lived in until I was five, and I delivered bouquets of the flowers to my neighbors. I don’t really remember it, but my sense is that it was adorable.

ELLE: What do you consider the epitome of happiness?

EC: A night with no plans, a home-cooked meal, six episodes of an addictive TV show, the BF, and a couch.

ELLE: How do you define luxury?

EC: Something you don’t need and therefore want more.

ELLE: What is the last dream you remember?

EC: I never remember my dreams! So I’m going to have to say that I don’t remember the last one that I remembered.

ELLE: What’s your favorite childhood memory?

EC: My preschool was called Big Top and at the end of the year we had a circus. I was a tightrope walker, which meant performing a routine on a line of masking tape and—most importantly—wearing a purple satin leotard with pink sequins. It was sick.

ELLE: What’s the last book you read and loved?

EC: Oooh, loved—the pressure is on. I really connected with The Marriage Plot. I know people have mixed feelings, but everything about it (OK, except the ending) spoke to me, especially the aggressively intellectual classroom scenes at the beginning. They were very reminiscent of University of Chicago, my alma mater.

ELLE: Describe your home’s aesthetic.

EC: Bunny-approved. My Holland lop, Patsy Stone, runs the show around here.

ELLE: What are your vices?

EC: Prosciutto, cabs, and movies about high school.

ELLE: Describe yourself in five words or less.

EC: I am myself. How’s that?

ELLE: What possession will you never throw away?

EC: A gold chain of my dad’s—it’s plenty sentimental and men’s jewelry always looks rad on girls. Duh.