Inside the Vibrant Closet of Designer Alejandra Alonso Rojas

Alejandra Alonso Rojas’ has made a name for herself with collections drenched in resplendent saturated hues. So we were immensely pleased to discover the walls of her downtown Manhattan apartment (where her team had spent the day prior hand-dying 20 silks for their latest collection) are awash with those same sunny hues. An electric-pink-coated wall alludes to shades present in her Pre-Fall 2022 collection and there’s a startling likeness between the prints of one floral wall and a bustier dress from her Fall 2020 collection. Her home (and closet, in particular) read like an ode to her designs because in her mind, there’s little delineation between self-expression and her work.

Born in Madrid, Rojas initially studied business. She attended graduate school at the Art Institute of Chicago, fine-tuned her skills under designers like Nicholas K and Anna Sui, then launched her namesake label in 2016. She spent that first year or two yielding her design to what she thought her audience wanted. “After a few seasons,” she says, “I just came to the realization that if I did not want to wear something from the collection, it was out.” Rojas removed factors like age and formality from the equation and began creating a line of casual luxury she believed in. A 70-year-old and a 30-year-old can buy the same suit. The former might wear it with a blouse while the latter bares all with a bra. “I feel like it's been way more successful since I removed the blurry line from the equation.”

A natural progression, Rojas’ own designs dominate her wardrobe. “I represent the brand,” she says. “I like to wear my own clothes, but it also helps me to understand the brand, like what do I need to evolve?” Though cameos from other designers are a rarity, you can find them among her accessory collection and in the labels of a few gowns—Delpozo’s Josep Font designed her wedding dress. Submersed in saturation, her designs and what she subsequently wears are emotional. The pinks, blues, and yellows make the wearer and the viewer feel something. “I’m a mood dresser,” she explains. Feeling blue? Might we suggest a shade of bubblegum to brighten your spirits.