Alejandra Alonso Rojas is taking her time, starting with spring 2026.
“I wanted to make a statement about slow fashion,” the designer said during a preview of her collection. “I wanted to do the most elevated collection I’ve ever done with pieces that have finishing from couture, a lot of handwork and very, very special fabrics.”
Rojas drew inspiration from a trip to Pompeii in 2024, in both the literal sense — take the printed fabric, which drew inspiration from excavated wall murals in archaeological digs — and metaphorically, in creating pieces that could feel relevant in years and decades to come.
“I’m a firm believer that you can wear the same dress to many occasions throughout your life, and family members can inherit it. That’s the beauty of things well done,” she said.
Where she couldn’t create her own materials, she sourced from collaborators. Many of the handmade lace motifs throughout came from workers in Camariñas, Spain; artist Philippine de Richemont oil painted the printed patterns, and the standout look, which took cues from mantónes de Manila, came from Andalusia.
The collection, which stuck to Rojas’ eveningwear forte with just a couple options for suiting, spanned black, aquatic blues, blush pinks and richer variations of greens, browns and reds.
“People can pick from all the different colors or prints,” Rojas explained, gesturing to a linen number rendered in regenerative flax. On a pink ballgown (Rojas’ self-professed favorite), there were practical details woven in, too. “All the crinolines don’t have wires, they’re done in cotton and they’re foldable so you can pack them,” she said.
Just as she’s slowing down, she’s seeing traction for her take-your-time ethos. “People are making much more emotional buys,” she said in a nod to waning consumer sentiment. “I feel I’m more emotional too, in this environment. Every piece I designed in this collection I wanted it to feel very special and to touch the person looking at it.”
