MODA Designer Profile: Alessandra Tufiño
Alessandra Tuffiño, a second year political science and gender sexuality major in the College, is making her designer debut at the 2021 MODA fashion show. We sat down in front of our respective zoom backgrounds to discuss designs, inspirations, and Scream Queens.
What are the inspirations for your collection?
Well, my inspiration was honestly drawn mostly from Star Wars Episode II, which I feel will definitely be seen in a lot of the different parts of my collection, such as the train of one of the dresses, or the corset top in another look. I think my second source of inspiration was Scream Queens, since I really liked the gaudiness of a lot of the Chanels’ outfits, especially the large amounts of feathers and bling. I got a little bit of inspiration from Sex & the City, particularly Charlotte’s pink Oscar de la Renta dress for one of the pieces, and I got most of my inspiration for the accessories from Chanel and Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.
How would you describe your design process?
I would describe it as a kind of organized chaos; there’s definitely a method to the madness. I keep myself on a schedule, but that schedule is also based on how and when inspiration strikes. There’s a little bit of procrastination that comes from this as well, since I tend to not work if not inspired at that moment. I’ll say I’m going to work on this or that a certain week, but if inspiration for a certain piece strikes, I have to work on that at that moment and will work on or continue to work on the other thing later. I’m also rather adaptable in the process; some original ideas were changed as other ones took their place.
What are you looking forward to most about the show?
The thing that I’m looking forward to the most about the show is the chance to really see my designs come to life, and to see the fruits of my labor being presented in real life. It is one thing to see the designs on a page or in your head, and it is quite another to be able to touch them and to see the light catch on the fabric as the dress moves.
Do you want to continue designing in the future? What’s your favorite part of the process?
I definitely want to continue designing in the future, but I’m not fully sure about making a career out of it; I’m open to the possibility though, since if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.
My favorite part of the design process is hard to choose, but it’s probably a tie between actually drawing the designs and picking out the fabrics. Though I also enjoy sewing the pieces together, since I find it to be rather calming. Another amazing part of the process are those flashes of inspiration that can occur without warning, since sometimes you can just picture the images so clearly in your mind you can almost see them.
What did you keep in mind while designing?
I think of what would I wear if I had an unlimited budget and could truly wear whatever I wanted at any given moment. I’m very extra when it comes to my fashion tastes, since I love to get all dressed up for a night out and always daydream about what I would wear to the Met Gala or a red carpet or a fancy ball, and when I was a little girl I loved to dress up pretty much every day. I truly believe that the first person you should have in mind when designing is yourself and what you would wear.
All images via Alessandra Tuffiño. Header graphic by Vivian Li.
