Unconventional Muse: Nilea Alexandar, Designer of Underground Love Story

Designing Woman: Nilea Alexander, Designer of Underground Love Story
We met Nilea at Juan Valdez Café in Midtown Manhattan, and immediately was attracted to her strong individualistic sense of fashion and great use of color. Nilea Alexander, originally of Atlanta, Georgiaand now resides in Brooklyn, New York is a fashion designer of Underground Love Story.

Check out her style story.

What are you wearing?
A ‘Canadian Tuxedo’ – a denim top and shorts (from a Salvation Army in Philadelphia), a tribal necklace from a street vendor in Brazil, riding boots from Argentina that are custom-made (cost 900 pesos), rings are all from a Parisian designer, Laurent Guillot, the heart earrings are fromNY Adorned , my jacket is from the Brooklyn Flea Market (from my friend Joan’s booth).

What is your Design Philosophy?
My design philosophy is based on my wardrobe; so what I do is – the same way that I curate my look and pick those pieces out of my closet; so I might buy something that is brilliant but I may not wear for another year, so when I design my collection, I pull pieces out of my collection around a story and say ‘here’s the edited version, here is the pulse of what the mood is for now’, and take those pieces and gather inspiration for what fall or summer will look like, and I build and add to that from there.

Who are your style icons?
There is a woman named Iris Apfel, and I think she is brilliant about the way she collects; she’s been collecting (clothes) for years and it not about what’s in style, but rather what is stylish and genius and done in a way that’s not about how much clothes or labels you have but what you have and how you curate it and build on that.

What are your favorite fashion-related films?
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo? (Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?), and Chat Bleu, Chat Noir
What are your favorite places to shop online?
Black Up – fabulous makeup sold at Sephora in Paris(not here), their foundation is the best thing that I‘ve ever put on my face. Also -- We Love Colors, Curiosity Shoppe.

Contributed by Julia DiNardo of FashionPulseDaily.com