Alexia Álvarez de Toledo is a Spanish designer and artisan known for handcrafting hats and headpieces inspired by architecture, classic cinema, and timeless sophistication. She focuses on natural materials, unique designs, and a highly personal aesthetic.
How was it to start such a personal project and expose something created from your own aesthetic sensitivity?
“Well, at first, a lot of fear… I think betting on your own designs is always a challenge. Starting such a personal project was an act of courage… but also of intuition. When you create something from your aesthetic sensitivity, you’re not just showing ‘a product,’ you’re showing the way you see the world. And that feels incredibly vulnerable.
At first, I had so many doubts… whether people would like it, whether they would understand you, whether it was ‘too much you.’ But over time I understood that this was exactly where the difference was. What truly connects with people is not trying to look like everyone else, but having your own perspective.
For me, aesthetics have never been just about something beautiful. They are emotion, identity, memory, attitude… A hat, a headpiece, or an image can speak before a person does.
And I think that’s where any soulful brand is born: when you stop trying to please everyone and start creating from who you really are.”
3 things that inspire you
“It may sound strange, but one of my biggest inspirations is architecture. The lines, the proportions, the volumes, the strength of certain buildings… so many times I observe spaces and automatically imagine shapes, structures, or even headpieces.
I’m also deeply inspired by traveling. Discovering new places, getting lost in different cities, experiencing cultures, colors, textures, and ways of living. I travel a lot, and I think every place I’ve been to stays with me in some way and becomes part of how I create.
And of course… old cinema. Classic films have an elegance that’s hard to explain. The aesthetics, the femininity, the silences, the hats, the sophistication of another era… all of that is part of my creative imagination, even when I’m not fully aware of it.”
What does craftsmanship mean to you?
“For me, craftsmanship means soul.
We live in a world where everything moves fast, where everything is consumed quickly… and craftsmanship represents exactly the opposite: time, dedication, and sensitivity.
For me, craftsmanship also means imperfectly perfect. Because the beauty of something handmade is precisely that no two pieces will ever be the same. Each one has character, personality, and little details that make it unique.”
What place in the world would you love to explore wearing your friulanes?
“And I’m dying to return to the summit of hats: Vienna, Austria. I can’t quite explain what it is… The architecture, the music, the historic cafés, the classical aesthetic, the sophistication, the people!!… everything is inspiring!!!”
How would you design your perfect Cayumas?
“I would love them to be made with hat materials. I imagine ballerinas with a raffia pom-pom like the ones we use in our pamelas!! I see it as super fun and original!!! I love working with natural materials and mixing concepts.
Fashion is meant to be fun, and I have the best time with it!!!”
