We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alece Plasencia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alece below.
Hi Alece, thanks for joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
I started my brand in July of 2018 when I had just returned from Japan and had also just visited my hometown of San Francisco. I was inspired by the vibrant colors of Japan and the diversity of my hometown, so I decided to create a timeless wearable art piece on denim that would be lined with silk and Chinese brocade fabric.
As I created each one of a kind, custom denim jackets, they each had a personal story for me, but I had no idea how they would be received by my target market of creatives or how I would go about marketing to them, especially on a budget of $0!
I decided to take a leap of faith and contact the owner of Vestal Watch company, Johnny Gehris, who hosted a Coachella day pool party in Palm Springs during the Coachella Music and Art Festival called “Vestal Village” in hopes I could be a vendor in front of my target market of music, fashion art lovers.
After a few Skype meetings, he agreed to have me as a vendor at surprisingly, no cost me and his reason was, “I saw your jackets and I think they are super cool and also, we need more diverse female entrepreneurs and I want to help you achieve your goal”. This act of kindness and support turned out to be life changing for me on a personal and professional level.
At the Vestal Village event, attended by over 300 people, I was able to showcase my one of a kind jackets and on Friday, April 12, 2019 I sold my first jacket. This sale meant so much to me as it proved that my jackets resonated with other creators, but also, it turned out to be one of the greatest and unexpected experiences that will forever impact my vision as an artist and brand creator.
Story time: I sold my first custom denim jacket to a UK born actress, Sohm Kapila who was engaged to be married in a few months. When she tried the jacket on she immediately fell in love and told me that it had been made for her. The jacket contained 3 signature appliqués: “Amore”, which she calls her then fiancé, now husband, a lion, which is what her parents call her and a bubble bee which represented her “mum” who had sadly passed away a few years before of cancer and her name was ironically, “Bee”.
Sohm told me she could not leave the event without it as we cried together after sharing her story. On a personal level her purchase of the jacket meant so much to me as an artist, because my jackets were made with that very intention, to touch the clients life. Sohm with her story had given me my purpose, my “why”. It was if Sohm and I are kindred spirits, brought together that day and I am forever connected to her.
Since then, every jacket I make, whether it’s a full custom or an original piece, I do so with Sohm’s mum in mind. I put my heart, soul, and tears, into every single piece because you never know who’s life it will affect or change in some way.
Also, I make a point to help others starting out in their careers, just as Johnny did with me and I created a second brand, BLAXICANA FEST: An upscale fashion and music festival that helps up and coming music artists, DJ’s models, photographers, and other creatives to highlight their talent.
It is my hope and my goal to continue to provide luxury denim high couture pieces to clients that our looking for something special, unique, and that reflects who they are and also to help the community of business owners and other creatives.
Each event I produce has the intention to inspire our diverse community of young creatives and each jacket I create is one of a kind, unique and wrapped in love. ❤️
Please contact me to receive an RSVP invite link to view & shop my current collection or to place an order for a full custom design at my next exclusive event: BLAXICANA FEST on November 2, 2024 at 1111 Wilshire Blvd, Downtown Los Angeles. Please visit my website: www.blaxicanacouture.com.
Hope to see you there!
www.blaxicanafest.com
-Alece Plasencia 🌹
“Embrace diversity via fashion”.
Alece, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Alece Plasencia, CEO/Fashion Designer/Artist for Blaxicana Couture. My brand is inspired by music, fashion, and art with the goal of promoting diversity and creativity via wearable art pieces.
My personal passion as a designer has been a part of me since childhood growing up in the early 1970s in San Francisco. During this political time, my parents made sure I understood that the world is diverse with people of various cultures and backgrounds which should be embraced. As an artist, I strive to reflect this diversity in my original wearable art pieces.
In addition, I am also inspired by the political movements of the time, the vintage wear of Haight & Ashbury scene, and the music of that era.
After serving many years as an educator, I started my online boutique in July of 2018 of one-of-a-kind custom denim jackets.
My goal as an artist is to create one-of-a-kind pieces for people to value as wearable and timeless.
My one of a kind designs are hand-crafted, luxury couture denim jackets all include hand sewn appliques and elegant Chinese brocade lining, a process that takes many hours to complete.
The denim fabric serves as a backdrop and undergoes a treatment of stone-washing and distressing to give each jacket a unique and vintage look.
I am very proud of the fact that my designs have a deep and personal meaning to my clients. and are in fact a memory keepsake and help my clients very special and unique.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I worked extra hours at my day job to fund my business as I did not want to take on a loan. I’m greatful to my family (husband), who supported my vison.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
During the pandemic, like all of us, I wasn’t able to showcase my jackets at events. However, out of sad times developed an amazing experience of having the time to research and create my second brand, BLAXICANA FEST: An upscale fashion and music festival. The point is, despite challenges, it’s important to keep going and never give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blaxicanacouture.com
- Instagram: @blaxicanacouture
- Facebook: @blaxicanacouture
- Youtube: @blaxicanacouture
- Other: https://www.blaxicanafest.com
Image Credits
A Photo That Fitz