Alejandro Ingelmo & The Webster Brunch

Photography by Chelsea Olson ; PHOTOS: Nathan Valentine on May 7th, 2013 in Fashion, Lifestyle

Alejandro Ingelmo

Miami Beach, FL – May 5, 2013 – Cinco de Mayo at Soho Beach House was festive with fashion on Sunday afternoon. Notable accessories designer Alejandro Ingelmo joined The Webster to showcase his Fall/Winter 2013 shoe collection at Soho Beach House’s penthouse. The intimate brunch featured delicious Mexican food and Tequila Avión cocktails to wash it all down in true holiday spirit. Everyone got to meet the designer himself, fawn over his latest designs, and enjoy a relaxing rooftop view. Even World Red Eye got to steal Ingelmo away from the fashionistas for a brief moment and catch up with him. Check out our interview below.

World Red Eye: You were originally born here- what sparked the move from Miami to New York?

Alejandro Ingelmo: It was so I could go back to school for fashion at Parsons. Miami always is on my mind though. It’s where I’m from- my roots- so I always keep that in mind with designing.

WRE: How does your Cuban background play into the inspiration for your designs?

AI: There’s always a sexiness. In Miami, people take more risks. It’s a little bit warmer, so people are more open to trying things and making a statement.

WRE: You’ve gotten a bit of attention for being among the fittest bodies in fashion. Since most designers are often so consumed in their work, how do you balance it all?

AI: For me, I think you have to be balanced in every way. You have to design and work hard, but at the same time, you have to be well rounded. My therapy is [working out]. I just need it. Sometimes I’ll be sitting there, designing for a couple hours, but then I need to do step away so I can come back with a fresh perspective. It uses a different part of your brain. I work out at least five times a week; I love it. I do CrossFit and all these challenges. It’s fun to work towards a goal and push yourself. I’m getting all these girls I know in fashion to do a challenge with me next month.

WRE: When did you start bringing sneakers into the women’s line and how has it been received?

AI: I started sneakers maybe two years after my first collection. I wanted to make shoes for myself. I had all these materials that were being used only for women, and I thought they could totally play into men’s shoes. That’s how it started, and it’s been a strong component of the collection for a long time. I’ve been doing it for women’s for a while, and I guess now there’s a big sneaker trend so we’re seeing more people interested in it.

Alejandro Ingelmo & Cedric Aumonier

Andrew Flicker, Alejandro Ingelmo, & Jill Heisler

Gabby Mejia & John Lin

Jill Heisler, Lavinia Penna, & Nicole Cueto

Andrew Flicker, Jill Heisler, & Alejandro Ingelmo

Jill Heisler & Alejandro Ingelmo

WRE: There are one or two styles that add a pop of color to the dark winter palate. Why did you pick fuchsia and teal?

AI: I always like a little bit of color- it’s the Miami in me. But it’s very controlled though. It’s always something I have to have. These two colors just stood out to me, and I felt like they played really well with the darker colors. It’s very important that whatever I design is consistent and works together.

WRE: The silhouettes of your stilettos are very sexy with the angular designs. Would you say that’s your signature style?

AI: I do that because I used to design very high heels and platforms before everyone got onto that. So when I started designing for lower heels, I still wanted to create that dramatic effect of feeling high and sexy. Designing shoes is kind of like being an architect, because there’s a certain foundation in the heel. You’re working from the ground up to create an effect of height. It’s a weird analogy, but when you see the Empire State Building, you see a foundation as it all leads up to this point at the top. I start from the heel, and the back becomes this point. My shoes are very architectural. I love to play with lines, but there’s something a little more rounded too. It all needs to have balance.

WRE: Any plans to open a boutique in your hometown city anytime soon?

AI: Yes. Definitely, it’s on my mind. I want to open another store. I looked at spaces when I was here last time. I think I’m probably going to open another store in New York first on the Upper East Side and then go to Miami or LA.