Interview with Fashion Designer Alexis Barbara Isaias | Neiman Marcus

Summary

This interview with fashion designer Alexis Barbara Isaias covers her journey into the world of fashion, a passion ingrained in her from childhood. Her love for designing led her to create a capsule collection in 2008 that garnered immense positive feedback, motivating her to launch her own resort collection in 2009. Alexis shares her design philosophy, emphasizing comfort, beauty, and the perfect fit for women, and highlights her current style inspirations such as chokers and Victorian elements. The interview is a testament to following one's dreams and the dedication required to succeed in the fashion industry.

Highlights

• Alexis's fashion career was sparked by her mother's influence and her own early experiences with fashion. 🎨
• Her capsule collection, designed for a summer in Europe, received overwhelming positive feedback. 🌟
• Achieving the perfect fit and making women feel comfortable and beautiful is central to her designs. 👗
• Current favorite styles include a mix of gothic, Victorian, and sexy neck details like chokers. 🖤
• She attributes her success to hard work, dedication, and following her dreams, inspired by her mother's advice. 🌟

Key Takeaways

• Alexis Barbara Isaias was inspired by fashion from a young age, thanks to her mother's influence. 👗
• Her journey into designing started with a personal capsule collection in 2008. 🧵
• Alexis values comfort and chic aesthetics in her clothing designs. 👜
• Her design process focuses on transitional, effortlessly chic pieces. 👗
• The designer is currently inspired by Victorian elements and chokers. 🔮

Overview

Alexis Barbara Isaias's fashion journey truly began from a young age, with her mother playing a pivotal role in fostering a love for design and style. Alexis reminisces about being the living doll her mom dressed, which sparked a lifelong passion for fashion. Fast forward to 2008, a summer vacation in Europe led her to create a capsule collection for herself, inadvertently planting the seeds for her brand's inception.

Receiving nonstop praise from people each time she wore her designs during that holiday, Alexis was motivated to explore fashion design professionally. This encouragement led to the launch of her first resort collection in 2009. Her motto is to blend comfort with style; she believes every woman deserves to feel and look beautiful, and this ethos is woven into each piece she creates.

Currently, Alexis's designs draw inspiration from Victorian and gothic influences, her love for chokers, and the seamless fusion of classic and contemporary styles. Her journey is a testament to perseverance and following one’s dreams, fueled by the wise words of her mother to chase her dreams and work tirelessly to achieve them.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Born into Fashion The chapter titled 'Born into Fashion' follows the story of an individual who grew up with a deep connection to the fashion industry, greatly influenced by a mother who loved shopping and fashion. Reflecting on the early exposure to fashion, it becomes an inspiring archive that impacts their present-day work. The individual recounts the journey of starting their own brand, having made the pivotal decision in 2008 during a family summer trip to Europe.
• 00:30 - 01:00: First Capsule Collection The chapter discusses the narrator's experience with designing their first capsule collection. After receiving positive feedback from others on the pieces they wore throughout the summer, they decided to pursue this passion further. This led to the creation of their first resort collection, which was launched in 2009 and fully developed at home. The narrator expresses excitement for future designs.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Fashion Passion and Dedication The chapter titled 'Fashion Passion and Dedication' emphasizes the speaker's love for fashion, particularly their fondness for colors like lilacky mauve and deep purple. It highlights the driving force of passion and dedication in pursuing fashion, encouraging hard work and continuous learning. The speaker identifies as a perfectionist, especially regarding achieving the perfect fit in fashion, believing that a woman should feel comfortable while looking beautiful.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Design Inspiration The chapter titled 'Design Inspiration' explores gothic and Victorian influences in fashion design, emphasizing seamlessly chic and easy-to-wear pieces. It highlights the importance of transitional elements and the allure of neck details like chokers, blending Victorian aesthetics with a modern vixen appeal.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Reflecting on the Journey Reflecting on the Journey: The chapter reflects on an incredible journey that feels like a blur in retrospect. It emphasizes the importance of following one's dreams, a lesson imparted by the narrator's mother. Through hard work and perseverance, the dream has been realized, resulting in a profound and amazing experience.

Interview with Fashion Designer Alexis Barbara Isaias | Neiman Marcus Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 I was definitely born into fashion. I always say I was my mom's doll and dress up was her favorite game. I think our archive of shopping as I grew up has always been an inspiration to us today. The trajectory of your career has been so amazing. When did you decide to put a pencil to paper and start creating a brand that had your name? So in 2008, I went to Europe for the summer with my family,
• 00:30 - 01:00 and I decided to design myself a little capsule collection. And I wore it throughout the summer. And every time I wore a piece, everyone would stop me. Where is that from? Where did you get it? So after all that positive feedback, I said this is something I definitely want to explore. And my first resort collection, which I launched in 2009, was fully created at my home. So I'm excited to see everything that you've got for the coming season. Of course, I have to run here, because--
• 01:00 - 01:30 Well, definitely that's my favorite. I love all the lilacky mauve and all that beautiful deep purple. Fashion has always definitely been a passion of mine, but it's kind of like that passion and dedication that pushes you to work even harder and learn even more every time. I'm really a perfectionist about having the perfect fit. I think that a woman needs to feel comfortable, at the same time look beautiful.
• 01:30 - 02:00 I love this kind of bit of goth and Victorian. Yes. And the open back detail on that top is amazing. What are some of the things that you feel are quintessentially Alexis when you sit down and start to design? Effortlessly chic. I think about pieces that are easy to wear. Those transitional pieces are a big part of my design process. I'm obsessed with chokers right now. Yes. I think neck details are very sexy, and they add something else. But you get Victorian with vixen all in one dress. Yes.
• 02:00 - 02:30 When I look back on it, I can't believe it. It all looks like a blur, but it's been amazing. And my mom always told me, follow your dreams, and we've all worked trying hard and pushed for this dream to come true, and it's been amazing. [MUSIC PLAYING]