Lady LUX

The creative forces behind one of fashion’s newest sensations, Alex & Eli, are Parsons graduates Anna Zeman and Aja Singer. Having worked with the likes of fashion elite including Rodarte, Zac Posen and Carolina Herrera, these two have developed their own brand reflective of their individual styles. Their collections—known for impeccable construction with a clean, tailored fit—are versatile, youthful and effortless, yet distinctive, and give a whole new persona and perspective to work wardrobes, suits and sportswear.

From being spotted on TV shows like Gossip Girl to gracing the pages of every fashion magazine and website in the industry, Alex & Eli is a name gaining more and more recognition in the eyes of fashion-savvy young professional women—and rightfully so. Fresh off the success of their 2011 Spring/ Summer line, their Fall/Winter collection is giving fashionistas a reason to look forward to the cool weather.

LadyLUX sat down with the designing duo to discuss the past, present and future of Alex & Eli.

LadyLUX: How did the two of you come to be Alex & Eli?
Alex & Eli: We met while studying at Parsons. We had similar interests, as we both studied science as undergrads and were both extremely meticulous. During our last semester, we decided we wanted to launch a tailored suiting line for women. We were attracted to tailoring because it’s something very specific and very much about the details. We used a combination of our middle names to give the line a more masculine feel.

LL: How would you describe the overall style of Alex & Eli?
A&E: Alex & Eli’s brand philosophy is to create slick suiting. Tailoring is the brand foundation, but we also integrate our innovative perspective. We approach the traditional suit in a new way, mix-and-matching juxtaposing textures, silhouettes and colors.

LL: What are your individual styles like? How do your personal styles affect Alex & Eli?
A&E: Our individual styles match what you see in the Alex & Eli collections. We are creating the clothes we want in our own wardrobes.

LL: What’s the collaboration process like between the two of you?
A&E: We have merged into one person. At first, we would argue over small details like the placement of a seam, but we have slowly learned to trust each other’s strengths.

Courtesy of Tom Hines

LL: What kind of girl do you keep in mind when designing?
A&E: The ladies who are always on our rotation are the women who wear clothing with sophistication and confidence. Her look is effortless because distinctive style is something that comes naturally to the Alex & Eli woman.

LL: What makes a girl fashionable?
A&E: Confidence!

LL: What makes Alex & Eli different from other brands?
A&E: We create tailored suiting for women, which was something very new when we first started—at the time, it was all about the cocktail dress. Instead of fast fashion, we focus on quality, overseeing the entire production process. Everything is made right here in the Garment District.

LL: What is the influence behind the Fall/Winter collection?
A&E: We really wanted to build the collection with a futuristic and slick sensibility, so we looked back to the future and found inspiration in “Star Trek”—the original “Star Trek”! We focused on our signature sharp silhouettes, asymmetrical hemlines and intricate seaming, echoing the sleek interior of a spacecraft, geometric shapes and color palette of the ‘60s era “Star Trek.”

LL: What are the must-have pieces in this collection?
A&E: We love the two custom prints we created for Fall 2011. For the first, we sourced industrial cables from hardware stores and created charmlike spaceship blueprints to swing freely from the cable endings. The other print, an ethereal watercolor, was developed by a series of dip-dyeing and hand-painting processes, creating a dreamy, atmospheric feel.

Experience Alex & Eli at their website, www.alexandeli.com.

This article was contributed by Dani Smith. To read more from Dani, follow her adventures on Twitter at @Danilaexoxo.

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Fashion / Features