Jie Jessie Liu, 32, from Penglai, Shandong province, China, a graduate of the Academy of Art University fashion school in San Francisco, speaks during a backstage interview prior to sending out her creations at New York fashion week on September 7, 2012. Nine of the best graduates from the school, five of them Asian, participated in its annual showcase attended by international press, buyers and talent scouts. AFP PHOTO / Robert MacPherson