In 1987, Tracey graduated with a BA in Product Design, from the School of Design, at North Carolina State University.  She believes an intensive eight semesters of  "Studio", required Design Fundamentals courses, prepared her to have her own design label. Always feeling part artist, part designer, the melting of the two has given Tracey the ability to balance creativity with functionality.  Shortly after graduation, Tracey moved to New York City, where she works and resides today.  
   
                                                              
             
Although eveningwear design was her main interest, Tracey's experience ranges from apparel print design, knitwear, dresses, and wedding dresses.  In 1995, she gave a one-woman exhibition, showing a collection of fanciful, laminated silk Rainwear which generated local television and newspaper exposure. This lead to an introduction to Jazz vocalist/songwriter, Cassandra Wilson.  She designed Ms. Wilson's dresses for three major tours, CD package, and Ms.Wilson's 1997 Grammy dress. 

In 1998, she began to change directions by looking downward. With a love for shoes, she studied the related design courses at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.  Her footwear experience started on the selling floor at Peter Fox Shoes in Soho.  In February 2004, she began creating hand-paintings on dyeable shoes through commission requests. In October 2005, Mr. Fox commissioned Tracey to hand paint 50 pairs of his silk satin shoes for an in-store exhibition. At the same time, she was designing women's slippers for a well-established label, Jacque Levine.  From working and styling so many brides over the years, her idea of creating bridal flip-flops was born.  

Then on April 12, 2003, after twenty single years, Tracey also became a bride.  "Using the label "Tracey Carpino" did not reflect my new direction, and new life with my husband Billy,  so I decided to take his name and change my label to Tracey Asai."  Tracey loves her new label and feels it reads much better in a pair of shoes. In August 2007, Tracey's first shoe design, named "Martini Mules", were purchased by the Shoe Icons Museum, located in Moscow, Russia.  


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