Enfnts Terribles

Can you tell us a bit about who you are and where you grew up?

My name is Alexa, I’m 23 years old and half American, half Belgian. I grew up between NY, Rome and Brussels.

How did growing up in different countries shape you as a person? And does it have an influence on your collections?

Growing up between Belgium, the US and Italy has given me a dual perspective and an openness which is quite unique. It definitely informs our collection in that there is a world view, a love of travel and an open-minded spirit.

What made you decide to do multiple drops per year and not to join the traditional fashion system of spring / summer and fall / winter collections?

We feel the existing fashion system isn’t relevant anymore. It is non sensical to be forced to buy summer clothes in February and winter clothes in August. We also feel the model of 2 seasons a year doesn’t reflect the way people dress or even the climate we face. Frequent drops help to keep things fresh and relevant.

On social media you’re posting about your ‘Freedom Tribe’. Can you explain what this means to you and can we join the freedom tribe?

The Freedom Tribe is at the heart of our brand’s concept. We want to be inclusive and welcome people with similar values to ours: fearlessness, authenticity and dreaming. Just like surfers or riders feel connected to a community, we want people who share our values and wear our clothes to feel part of the Freedom Tribe.

You spend a lot of time traveling, what are your favorite destinations?

I do travel quite a bit! My favorite destinations are: St. Barth’s, Portugal, LA and NY. Currently, I am dreaming of getting to Iceland.

Who’s currently wearing Alexa Fairchild? Can you describe this person / these persons?

We have quite a range of people wearing our clothes. From my 72-year-old grandmother, Mikal Edwards @mojoyogo, to Julie Hillman @juliehillmandesign a super talented interior designer from NY, to Alphonse Eklou @eklouu a fearless dreamer & Tessa Dixson @tessadixson a talented singer and song-writer.

Why is it important to you to include your family into the process?

The brand was born as a family project. It evolved after many, many hours of brainstorming around the dinner table. So, we all contributed to its inception. It is named after me because I am the Creative Director but I am supported and shouldered by the entire family.

We’re sure you had your fair share of failures, like anybody else does. How do you react/respond to failure? And what do you do to get back up?

Actually, I have had to face up to failure quite a bit actually. In my career as a Dressage competitor for Belgium, I have endured a lot of knocks! It has been very good for me in many ways. One, it keeps you humble. Two, you can never rest on your laurels. Three, you want to win even more! Failing, I have learned, only makes you stronger and better.  There is no shame in failing. Rather, it is a very important step in life I think.

Where would you like to be in 2 years from now with the brand?

Over the next 2 years, we want to perfect our product, fine-tune our delivery to market and increase the brand awareness. We hope to have become a recognized and respected brand with a loyal following and we hope to have grown our Freedom Tribe to a large number of fabulous people!

www.alexafairchild.com

Instagram: @alexa_fairchild