Carmen Marc Valvo is one busy guy. In addition to designing several collections each year and developing a new shoe line, he makes personal appearances throughout the nation for cancer-fighting charities and is a guest judge on Thursday night's episode of Project Runway All Stars with Katie Holmes.

He has also had to deal with the effects of Superstorm Sandy, which flooded out his Hamptons home and disrupted his design business. Before a personal appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue and the Nutcracker Market a couple of months ago, Valvo talked to CultureMap about the storm, his new spring collection and the "must-have" item everyone seems to want.

CultureMap: How were you affected by the big storm?

Carmen Marc Valvo: We got flooded out in the Hamptons. There was close to five feet of water in the basement only. But the inner workings of the house are gone — no heater, no boiler, no watering system. My biggest concern was for our koi pond, our fish and the cats. They were all fine, so we will manage. Some people lost everything, so we were lucky.

CM: You're in Houston to help Saks Fifth Avenue celebrate its 15th anniversary in its Galleria location. Does anything stick out in your mind about being in Houston back then?

CMV: I appeared at the Nutcracker Market one of those first years. Jeanne Ruberti was public relations manager the first time I came here. There was a big party at Becca's house.

CM: So many of your personal appearances, including this one at Saks, benefit the American Cancer Society. Sounds like you'll do anything and go anywhere for cancer research.

CMV: Saks is no stranger to health issues, with Key to the Cure and Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. I've been involved in that aspect of it for many, many years. Then as a cancer survivor going on 10 years now, it's become a larger concern of mine. I've always traveled to meet my customers. Now it makes more sense to go on the road to meet these ladies and be a part of the community when it has a health-related issue. It's a big concern because it affects us all.

CM: You have always been in touch with your customer. What is your customer telling you now?

CMV: It seems like color is good. Color has always been good in Houston. People (everywhere) are embracing it and that's a good thing.

CM: Your spring collection has a lot of eye-popping colors.

CMV: I'm usually Mr. Black.

CM: So why did you decide on adding more color?

CMV: I don't know. There was still a lot of black in the collection and the space was white. Black and white was still key — it's a big trend for spring — but to have that explosion of color was just so beautiful. It was nice and it was unexpected coming from me.

Fall started a different direction for us. The collection was very sleek and modern, very architectural, moreso than it's been in its minimalism, but it was still very ornate. I think spring just kind of exploded the direction into volume that I haven't done in a long time. I'm just having some fun. I have to be happy with what I'm doing.

CM: What's a must-have item from your collection?

CMV: The colored furs. We have chinchillas in colors — emerald, fuchsia, cobalt blue, amethyst — these jewel tone colors. They are beautiful. One of these little fun fur pieces is a must-have. Or a little fox vest. We did silver fox as well in the bright colors. It's fun.