Meet One of the Brightest New Stars of New York Fashion Week Who Is Taking Colorful, ”Casual Luxury” Fashion to New Heights
Alina sits down with Madrid-born, New York-based fashion designer Alejandra Alonso Rojas who absolutely rocked New York Fashion Week last Sunday
Here’s the thing.
I love fashion.
But it takes a lot for me to actually buy something.
I have to really love it.
And, so, like many of you, I’m sure, I tend to reach for the same designers over and over, year after year.
It’s not often I find a new one I absolutely love.
That all changed recently when I started to notice the work of Alejandra Alonso Rojas.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas, Photo courtesy: Alejandra Alonso Rojas
The Madrid-born, New York-based fashion designer is, in my opinion, one of the brightest new stars of New York Fashion Week.
Here’s how I know.
I’m buying her clothes.
And whenever I wear her clothes, people stop me.
They ask, “Who designed that?”
And “Where can I get it?”
On Sunday, I went to Alejandra’s fashion show, where she unveiled her collection for Spring 2023.
The day after that, we sat down to chat.
SHE WAS BORN IN MADRID BUT HAD NEW YORK (AND FASHION) IN HER BLOOD
ALINA CHO: I want to talk a bit about your background. I read that you were born and raised in Spain, right?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Yeah, I was born and raised in Madrid, all my family is there. We moved to the States 12 years ago. But since I was 16, I wanted to move to New York.
ALINA CHO: Really?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: I always loved traveling when I was younger. And I hated summer camp. So, when I was a little older, I [asked] my parents, "Can I stay with a family for a week in Paris?" I also went to Italy and ended up being good friends with one of the girls who [was in my] exchange program, she was from New York. And so, I came here for, I think it was two months, for a summer. And [my friend’s] mother took me to see Parsons and FIT and I was like, "Wow, I want to move there.”
ALINA CHO: You fell in love.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Yeah, I fell in love with it, and the energy and everything.
ALINA CHO: But how did you fall in love with fashion?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: I think from a very young age. My mother and my grandmother, they both love fashion. They were both involved in the fashion world.
ALINA CHO: What did they do?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Well, my grandmother worked in advertising and radio for years.
Grandmother of Alejandra Alonso Rojas, Photo courtesy: Alejandra Alonso Rojas
And growing up, she would go to the Balenciaga atelier to make her dresses, they made her wedding dress.
ALINA CHO: Wow.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: They would go to France to buy their clothes.
ALINA CHO: And then your mother?
Mother of Alejandra Alonso Rojas, Photo courtesy: Alejandra Alonso Rojas
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: And then my mother, from a pretty young age, she was a model.
ALINA CHO: Wow.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: But they were both working, working mothers, very practical, loved fashion, but also [loved] being comfortable.
ALINA CHO: Right.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: And, meanwhile, I was learning knitting and all of those techniques from a very young age, like four or five years old.
ALINA CHO: Wow.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: And I just love fabric. Like, I wouldn't play with dolls, I would just dress them. And I loved painting, pencil colors, so it just kind-of continued evolving.
ALINA CHO: Right.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: And then I studied business for undergrad in Madrid and Paris because my dad said, "I know that you want to have your business one day, it would be very, very good if you learned more about that." So, I made a deal with him, I [said], "Okay, I’ll go to business school, but then I go wherever I want for fashion." He said, "Yes, okay."
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS, THE BRAND
ALINA CHO: Let's talk about your brand. I read that you launched in 2016, is that right?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Yeah.
ALINA CHO: I always say to designers, “It takes a lot of courage to put your name on the door.”
Source: Alejandra Alonso Rojas
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Yeah, [initially], I had an issue with my visa as so many other people do in this country.
ALINA CHO: Right, sure.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: So, it was really hard to get a proper job. So, I spent time at the studios of Nicholas K and then Anna Sui here in New York. I was like, “I don't care, call me an intern, call me whatever you want. I don't care.”
ALINA CHO: Right.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: So, while I was doing that, I started selling the shoes that I [made for] my master's degree thesis. My parents were living in Mexico City at the time. And so, I was collaborating with artisans there — embroideries, leathers — and the shoes got bought by three stores.
ALINA CHO: That’s incredible.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: And then, I ran into a friend who was like, “Your sketches are amazing. You should start sampling these.” And then, I kind-of went for it.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas hammering flowers into fabric, Photo courtesy: Alejandra Alonso Rojas
I started working over the weekends and put a collection together. And the next thing I knew, we had Barneys and amazing Japanese stores coming to our appointments [during] fashion week.
ALINA CHO: Wow.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: And Women’s Wear Daily wrote a review. And so, after that, my husband's background is in finance. And we kind-of sat down and said, “This is sort-of meant to be, we should at least take it seriously.” And I couldn't work for another brand at the time because of my visa so I was like, "You know what? Let's go. I don’t like to do things halfway." So, we went for it.
WHAT ANNA WINTOUR TOLD HER… AND HER BIG DREAM
ALINA CHO: How would you describe what your brand stands for and who your woman is?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: So, when I was in the [CFDA/Vogue] Fashion Fund, Anna Wintour came to my studio, and she said to me, “There's two words that define your brand and you should use them: casual luxury.” And everything just came into place.
ALINA CHO: Casual luxury.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: So, that's what the brand stands for.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
And that’s really what defines the brand because it is casual luxury.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
ALINA CHO: It’s so true. Even when you show gowns on your runway — and you did show several — there is an ease and a casualness to it.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: I like to think that I'm designing for every woman who wants to be comfortable, who values luxury, who values timeless pieces.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
And I don't like to put out an age to my clothes because we have clients in their 80s and clients in their 20s and they're buying the same exact dress.
ALINA CHO: I'm guilty of sometimes wearing way too much black. But I think what you have is so much joy in your clothes with your use of color.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Yeah. I really trust my instinct.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
I am the first one wearing the clothes, so I want happiness and joy when I'm wearing clothes.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
And I think the problem is if you start designing [with] black, then half the collection becomes black. And I think that, for me as a brand, I prefer color.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas Spring 2023, Source: Vogue Runway
ALINA CHO: One more question. What’s the big dream? Do you think about that?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: Yeah, I do. I feel like as a big plan, I would love an LVMH, or a big luxury group to support the brand, to invest in the brand.
ALINA CHO: What do you get from that?
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: It’s the support and the knowledge that they have. They know about the luxury industry better than anyone.
ALINA CHO: Right.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: What they did with JW Anderson for instance, the creative director at Loewe.
ALINA CHO: Yes.
ALEJANDRA ALONSO ROJAS: I would love to be creative director at one of the luxury houses one day. I feel like that, in the years to come, would be my dream.
ALINA CHO: Well, I not only see that for you I believe it will happen. And I believe that you can manifest that.