{"id":34292,"date":"2021-09-10T11:46:46","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T11:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=34292"},"modified":"2021-09-10T14:34:22","modified_gmt":"2021-09-10T14:34:22","slug":"showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/","title":{"rendered":"Showing Their Colors: Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Markarian\"
Alexandra O\u2019Neill wears Markarian dress, $1,495, markarian.com; Shoes, her own; Ama Elsesser holds Markarian dress, $1,975, markarian.com; Shoes, her own.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BY\u00a0TAYLOR HARRIS\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
<\/span>PHOTOGRAPHER\u00a0MENELIK PURYEAR<\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong>STYLING<\/span> DAVID THIELEBEULE<\/span><\/strong>
<\/span>HAIR DHAIRIUS THOMAS<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
<\/span>MAKEUP CHRISTYNA KAY<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/strong>PROP STYLING SHANE KLEIN<\/strong><\/p>\n

The shows will go on.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the decree of the IMG Alliance, an initiative banding together 11 American designers in a collective pledge to show at New York Fashion Week<\/a> for the next three seasons. \u201cWe\u2019re rebuilding the bedrock of New York Fashion Week,\u201d Noah Kozlowski,\u00a0director of\u00a0designer\u00a0relations for IMG,\u00a0tells\u00a0<\/span>Grazia\u00a0USA<\/span><\/i>. \u201cIn partnering with these designers through 2022, we\u2019re safely demonstrating the resilience and artistry of American fashion on a global stage.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In exchange for their commitment, each of the participating designers will receive funding from IMG to help finance their shows. \u201cThe designers who are showing here are, for the most part, independent and don\u2019t have the scale and level of support that some of their counterparts in Europe have,\u201d Kozlowski continued. \u201cSo, this initiative came about very organically, out of countless conversations we\u2019ve been having with designers over the past several months.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pre-pandemic,\u00a0there were countless\u00a0conversations\u00a0of a different nature:\u00a0regarding\u00a0the relevance and ROI of the shows,\u00a0the breakneck pace of the fashion calendar, the implications\u2014environmental and otherwise\u2014of a six-collections-per-year output, the sheer volume of\u00a0<\/span>stuff\u00a0<\/span><\/i>created in the name of newness. Then,\u00a0the\u00a0pandemic\u00a0hit\u00a0and an industry\u00a0often\u00a0pushed into\u00a0hyperspeed\u00a0was stopped dead in its tracks.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nearly two years\u00a0later,\u00a0we\u2019re picking up speed but\u00a0how it resumes\u00a0in earnest\u00a0remains to be seen.\u00a0For insight, we spoke with those who have their eyes on the horizon:\u00a0six designers taking part in fashion\u2019s great Reconstruction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grazia Gazette<\/span><\/i>:\u00a0So how is everything going?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: Very well, actually! We\u2019ll\u00a0have a completed collection hopefully by Friday,\u00a0so we\u2019re in a good place right now. We\u2019re doing our\u00a0lookbook\u00a0shoot either this weekend or Monday, so we\u2019re\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0planning that right now\u2014a lot of craziness but all exciting things. This is our first runway show,\u00a0so\u00a0this\u00a0is all especially exciting.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Why did right now feel like the right time to do your first show?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: We partnered with IMG this\u00a0season, and\u00a0having their support behind us has been crucial. It\u00a0also felt like a natural trajectory to take. It\u2019s been a very exciting year.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0When did you start initially conceptualizing this collection?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: I usually start designing right after I finish the previous\u00a0collection,\u00a0so we\u2019ve\u00a0been working on this since February. I find it hard to focus on more than one collection at a time.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Producing a collection during a pandemic presents some unique challenges. What has been the most difficult aspect in that regard?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: It\u2019s\u00a0definitely difficult,\u00a0but it\u2019s a bit easier this year than obviously it was last [year]. We\u2019ve learned how to do things differently. We did a lot of remote fittings.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Meaning you send a look and a tailor to a fit model, and she Zooms you in?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: I was\u00a0actually fitting\u00a0looks on myself and Zooming with our pattern maker. Really a group effort here!\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Have you found it difficult to find inspiration or incite creativity?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: Not really. I mean, I do draw a lot of inspiration from\u00a0traveling\u00a0and obviously that\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0happened\u00a0but I\u2019ve\u00a0always been inspired by the arts, books….\u00a0I love\u00a0a good\u00a0period piece. My grandmother was living with me, actually, when\u00a0I started designing this collection and we were watching a lot of old movies together, so I was able to draw from that.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0What is it\u00a0about the experience of going to a live, in-person show that\u00a0doesn\u2019t translate to Instagram or livestream?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: I mean, purely from a buying perspective, there\u2019s\u00a0definitely challenges\u00a0in terms of really seeing what the clothing looks like:\u00a0seeing how things fit\u00a0on the body, how the fabric moves, what the print looks like in real life, how much something really sparkles, the texture of all the fabrics\u2026.\u00a0And a show gives you a sense of the mood of the season,\u00a0too,\u00a0that I don\u2019t think you can capture in a photograph or a Zoom call.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Markarian\"
Ama Elsesser wears Markarian dress, shop similar at markarian.com; Belt, her own. Hair, Dhairius Thomas. Makeup, Christyna Kay. Prop Styling, Shane Klein.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Much has been made of women wanting to get dressed up and a post-pandemic return to glamour. Is this something\u00a0that\u00a0you\u2019re finding\u00a0resonates\u00a0with your customers?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: We are. We\u2019re very much so an occasion-wear company, so during the pandemic when there were no occasions happening, we\u00a0weren\u2019t seeing\u00a0a desire for this beautiful event-wear. But I would say over the past couple of months, there\u2019s been a huge shift and people have been coming to us more and more for those special dresses. Women are looking forward to dressing up again and that\u2019s\u00a0definitely been\u00a0reflected in our business.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Have you found that with yourself personally? Are you dressing up more?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: I\u2019ve always been like an all-or-nothing girl. I\u2019m either in jeans and a T-shirt, or I\u2019m going all out in sequins. When the pandemic first started, I\u00a0made an effort\u00a0to put real clothing on every day and then I got a little bit lazy. My favorite thing to wear were these cute little Doen nightgowns. I love\u00a0a flowy nightgown. The more grandma, the better.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0We\u00a0recently\u00a0shot you\u00a0with Ama Elsesser, Paloma Elsesser\u2019s younger sister who just began modeling and is about to do her first NYFW. What about\u00a0her\u00a0do you find so inspiring?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>I loved working with Ama on this. She\u2019s gorgeous and brought such fresh energy to the shoot.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

GG<\/span>:\u00a0Complete the sentence: The future of American fashion is…<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALEXANDRA: That\u2019s hard but I really think\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a slower and more intentional approach.\u00a0We\u2019re very much so a slow fashion brand, the opposite of fast fashion. We make beautifully crafted pieces that are meant to last and\u00a0are\u00a0made\u00a0to\u00a0order, and that\u00a0works for us. But I really try to be thoughtful about what we\u2019re putting out there and I think that this slower approach is\u00a0really important\u00a0to the future of fashion.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30655,"featured_media":34298,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[17,16],"yoast_head":"\nShowing Their Colors: Markarian's Alexandra O'Neill - Grazia USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Showing Their Colors: Markarian's Alexandra O'Neill\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"BY\u00a0TAYLOR HARRIS\u00a0\u00a0PHOTOGRAPHER\u00a0MENELIK PURYEAR STYLING DAVID THIELEBEULEHAIR DHAIRIUS THOMAS\u00a0MAKEUP CHRISTYNA KAY\u00a0 PROP STYLING SHANE KLEIN The shows will go on.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s the decree of the IMG Alliance, an initiative banding together 11 American designers in a collective pledge to show at New York Fashion Week for the next three seasons. \u201cWe\u2019re rebuilding the bedrock of New...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Grazia USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-09-10T14:34:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2021\/09\/Markarian_FEAT.jpg?fit=1280%2C720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/\",\"name\":\"Showing Their Colors: Markarian's Alexandra O'Neill - Grazia USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-09-10T11:46:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-09-10T14:34:22+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Showing Their Colors: Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\",\"name\":\"Grazia USA\",\"description\":\"Driving tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Showing Their Colors: Markarian's Alexandra O'Neill - Grazia USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Showing Their Colors: Markarian's Alexandra O'Neill","og_description":"BY\u00a0TAYLOR HARRIS\u00a0\u00a0PHOTOGRAPHER\u00a0MENELIK PURYEAR STYLING DAVID THIELEBEULEHAIR DHAIRIUS THOMAS\u00a0MAKEUP CHRISTYNA KAY\u00a0 PROP STYLING SHANE KLEIN The shows will go on.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s the decree of the IMG Alliance, an initiative banding together 11 American designers in a collective pledge to show at New York Fashion Week for the next three seasons. \u201cWe\u2019re rebuilding the bedrock of New...","og_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/","og_site_name":"Grazia USA","article_modified_time":"2021-09-10T14:34:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2021\/09\/Markarian_FEAT.jpg?fit=1280%2C720","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/","name":"Showing Their Colors: Markarian's Alexandra O'Neill - Grazia USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-09-10T11:46:46+00:00","dateModified":"2021-09-10T14:34:22+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/showing-their-colors-markarians-alexandra-oneill\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Showing Their Colors: Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/","name":"Grazia USA","description":"Driving tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Grazia USA","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/34292"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}