Susan Alexandra on Designing Bags For the Metaverse

On Designing For the Metaverse

Image Source: Courtesy of Absolut

PS: Why did you decide to enter the NFT space? Do you have future plans to expand?

Susan Alexandra: The NFT metaverse space is something that people have been saying for a while now that I should be getting into, and I'm always like, "OK, but I don't even know the first thing about it." It was this strange new world. The Absolut team helped guide me through the process, and now I want to continue with it.

Fashion is art, but we have to really keep in mind that people are wearing these pieces and they have to feel good and they have to be practical. And what I love about the metaverse is there's no restrictions on what's possible. If it's a shoe, it doesn't have to be comfortable. If it's an earring, it doesn't have to be lightweight. I could just make it total fantasy, and that's a dream as a designer.

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On Her NFT Wearable Collection

Image Source: Courtesy of Absolut

PS: What's the inspiration behind the NFT collection?

SA: I was sort of given free rein. They told me to literally do anything, and that's pretty shocking when you're working with a partner; usually, there are all these parameters. And then knowing it was for Coachella adds a whole other element of fun and creativity, because that's really where people go to express themselves and wear such cool pieces. And I was able to design everything within a day, I was so inspired. I had all these ideas.

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On Working With Absolut

Image Source: Courtesy of Absolut

PS: How did the collaboration with Absolut.Land come about? Are you a longtime fan of the brand?
SA: The collaboration came about organically, they reached out to me and I was so excited when I saw their name come up. I'm a huge dirty-martini fan. That's my favorite drink. And I also have a couple pieces in the collection inspired by it. So yeah, I was really excited to work with Absolut. And then they explained what the project was and I was like, "Oh, OK. Yeah. I think we can do this." It all worked out really harmoniously.

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On Celebrity Fans of the Brand

PS: Pete Davidson and Gigi Hadid are among the many celebrities who love your brand. How does it feel to get that kind of reception in the pop culture space? What celebrity would you like to see wear your designs in the future?

SA: So I am such a big Pete fan, and obviously Gigi. It feels really great. Honestly, to have that validation is really exciting. I'm a huge pop culture fanatic. I'm so fascinated by Pete. So, I can't say there's anybody even more exciting than him, but Rihanna would be incredible, Zendaya also. There are quite a few people from "Euphoria" that have pieces, which is really exciting to me because I think that they're what's next. For Rihanna, I want to make a bag for her and a matching bag for her baby and obviously A$AP, too.

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On Festival-Fashion Trends

Image Source: Getty Images/Edward Berthelot

PS: What are your predictions for festival style? Any festival trends you hope will surface this season?

SA: I'm really excited to see what people wear, because I feel the way that people dress for Coachella will shape how we all dress for the upcoming years. I think a lot of people just look at the street style photos from Coachella and that's how they get inspired. So, I would say that I predict a lot of color, a lot of fluidity, a lot of very specific '90s references. I see a lot of cutouts.

Something that's happening right now is a lot of people just showing their bodies regardless of size. I feel there's this unselfconscious way that people are dressing now. And there's this openness and acceptance. And I really love the idea of genderless fashion; I think that's something that's really exciting, too.

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On the Susan Alexandra Star-Sign Collection

Image Source: Courtesy of Susan Alexandra

PS: Tell us the inspiration behind your star-sign collection and how it came to fruition.

SA: I've been into astrology for as long as I can remember. And I'm very in tune with what my sun sign represents and my rising and my moon. Nothing feels stable right now: as soon as COVID is over, it comes back. I wanted to create something that makes people feel a sense of control or a sense of identity in really turbulent times. And I think that's what astrology is so great for. So I was like, "This is our time. Let's do it."

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On Her Future Plans For the Susan Alexandra Brand

Image Source: Courtesy of Susan Alexandra

PS: Your NYC store is already a fan favorite. What plans do you have to expand and evolve the Susan Alexandra brand?

SA: My absolute dream would be to have stores around the world. That's my vision board. I definitely would love to do a store in LA next. And then the rest of the world; I really want to travel and create these beautiful places of community everywhere I go.

The next thing I'm dying to do is clothing. And then for the metaverse project that we did, I made these shoes and they have an Absolut cocktail heel. And I'm like, "OK, I'm dying to do shoes."

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On the Future of Fashion

Image Source: Getty Images/Edward Berthelot

PS: With the way the industry has been turned upside down lately, when you think about the future of fashion overall, what comes to mind?

SA: I think that the future is stuff that's never been done in terms of everything from the way we produce fashion to the way we gender it. I think it's all about going to places that have never been touched before. And even talking about things that make us uncomfortable and really looking into the reasons why and how things are done: shattering what fashion is supposed to be and changing what it is.

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On Producing Her Designs Locally

Image Source: Getty Images/Georgie Hunter

PS: I would love for you to expound on the production part, because I don't think people realize that your pieces are all handmade locally. Can you share a bit about your process?

SA: We work with the type of beading that we do because the women who we employ locally in New York City, that's their specialty. And so it's been amazing because over the years, we've created a team of nearly 40 female-identifying artisans who are able to work from their homes to create all the pieces that we make.

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