For disco-worthy clutches, head to Lala Léxa. Established by way of Alexa Mateen (her nickname is Lala), she cites the artwork world as a concept for her gorgeous series of handbags in her home city of Los Angeles. After all, she’s been accumulating artwork in addition to purses from an early age.
Before designing, she became a founding member of Tinder, but she determined to abdicate from the app global and best ultimate year transitioned into fashion. Her motivation? To fulfill her creative passions and create a label that “bridges modern-day artwork with capability.”
Mateen’s series of lucite clutches designed and lovingly made in Los Angeles completely vibe Studio 54 within the first-class manner feasible. Note their boxy shape, materiality, and shade palette of onyx, candy crimson, azure, and clear crystal, amongst others. The thing is, they may be so splendid you will want them all.
Felicity Carter: What’s your first stylish memory?
Alexa Mateen: My first fashion reminiscence dates lower back to when I become approximately nine; I would make T-shirts. I don’t forget borrowing my mom’s iron and coaching myself to personalize them with a few warmth switch vinyl and a fabric appliqué. There were tables complete with markers, fabric, and scissors. I assume I nonetheless have some of those shirts! I can’t tell you how normally I became a maxi skirt into a get dressed, a scarf right into a scarf, jean shorts into a notebook cowl (sure, nevertheless have that) when I turned younger. I usually cherished style, but it becomes best till currently where it manifested itself into something that could change my lifestyle and convey me so much pleasure.
FC: Tell us approximately your history…
AM: My access into the style global really snuck up on me. I’ve usually had an ardor for style, but I even have definitely no training in it. Before Lala Léxa, I changed into a founding member at Tinder all through my senior year and a few years after college, focusing on the US enlargement of the organization. As a long way as any style enjoy — I had one fashion PR internship when I changed into sixteen, and I didn’t like my enjoy there.
I truly do love style, though. Fashion is one’s identity and can be an outlet for complete expression. I get dressed in 10 mins, but I hardly ever leave the residence in an outfit I don’t like… I enjoy experimenting with style utilizing blending and matching one-of-a-kind textures and styles.
About a year ago, my brother sold a residence in LA, and there has been an estate sale there. I decided to stop through with my older (much less fashionably experimental) cousin. I observed a bag, or what I concept was as a bag, within the room that I cherished, and they looked at me like I had become crazy for wanting to shop for it… She didn’t assume it appeared like a purse and changed into rolling her eyes at me for trying to be “one of a kind” again. We were invited to an occasion that night, and I instructed her I’m shopping for it and carrying it out, and if I get five compliments or extra, I will make a bag line. I got 7! We still joke about it. The antique discovery looks nothing like my first design, but that moment becomes what, without a doubt, pushed me to create designs of my very own… And 6 months later, my first bag was sold. To a stranger! The best feeling within the global.
