It began with an email forwarded to me from Katelin Moomau, “Read this.” It was written by Alexandra Alvarez de Toledo who shared that with the passing of her mother she had taken over the reins of American in Paris on King Street. It was such a touching and candid email written to customers who had known her mother, Joelle, for years. I instantly wanted to know more – and see more.  

Shortly after, I met Samantha Giordano Kim, who manages PR and marketing for American in Paris at Misha’s Coffeehouse. When Samantha waved over to the table she had grabbed, I saw a woman sitting there. It was Alex and it was a nice surprise. “Let’s meet for a quick coffee” turned into two hours. The conversation just flowed and I sat engrossed as Alex shared her travel adventures in South America and Africa.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Alex and her family moved to London, and also spent some time in Paris. They eventually settled in D.C., “in Georgetown near the reservoir.” When her parents split up, Alex moved to Falls Church with her mom. “It was my first American experience in the area and I spent loads of time in Old Town…walking up and down the streets. I loved Why Not? for barrettes. It was all the rage when I was little.”

Alex now splits her time between New York City and Alexandria. “This area is near and dear to my heart and I love spending time here. I have the best of both worlds. In New York, I can walk to everything…and it’s the same here in Old Town. It’s beautiful, it’s clean – and there are trees!”

Part French, part Spanish (Basque), part Italian, Alex says she’s “basically a mixed bag of European. I speak Spanish and French, and I’m like a very productive person with ADHD. I manage to get things done and I don’t know how I manage to get all the things done…but I do.”

Her love of fashion began at a young age. Her parents’ friends owned a little French boutique in Santiago, and her mother asked her to model children’s clothing for the store. “She kept giving me these floral dresses to try on. I was six-years-old and I remember I wanted this gray dress that had red piping, it was very chic. She kept pushing the floral, but I didn’t want it. I threw a huge temper tantrum. From then on, I always had a very strong opinion about fashion.” 

While studying abroad in Paris, she met William Halimi, the owner of Kabuki, a boutique she frequented. “He loved my clothing and wanted to incorporate pieces of the style into his line. I eventually began shopping for him. Here I was, a 22-year-old kid, visiting showrooms and picking out what I liked. He bought everything. I traveled to Milan and shopped for his whole collection. I met so many people in my travels and began to style fashion shows. It was all new to me. Back in D.C., it seemed like everyone was studying political science and wanted to work for the State Department. I wanted to travel, and I didn’t know you could have a serious career in fashion.”

When she produced a book for American Crew, the doors really began to open. “It was a book with fancy hair products for men with male models who were doing it for free to gain more exposure. As a stylist, I was able to call in favors for designer suits for the models to wear.” This led to an American Crew TV commercial. “This is how I started making money in fashion. That was the spark. I serendipitously fell into it, and was fortunate enough to travel all over the world.” She was also a costume designer on set for three movies.

It was around this time that she decided to start a medical device company that also created medical-grade beauty products. After she closed it, she held onto the Sunny Legs product, which is available at the store and online. (I can attest it works!). “It's like an instant skin corrector. It’s not a self-tanner, more like a color depositor that reflects away from imperfections. It’s transfer-proof, washes off and it’s blendable. I can’t travel without it.”

All these collective experiences have come full circle. It was Alex who started American in Paris in 1996, but because she was traveling so much, her mom Joelle took over. “She loved it, she was a fashion plate. I would find things for her when I was traveling. I still enjoy discovering emerging designers. They rarely export, so I bring it back myself. Often they can only get so much of a fabric, maybe a few yards. I’d rather bring back a few beautiful pieces than try and get one in every size. I design for my customers and that’s all. I’m carrying on my mom’s legacy and that makes me feel close to her.” 

Check out Alex’s Street Style: 

ABOUT ALEX

Neighborhood: New York City and Falls Church

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

What would surprise people about you? I’m a science nerd – people have asked me if I’m a molecular biologist!

Favorite movie: Belle de Jour

Guilty Pleasure: The kosher hot dog on Amtrak when I’m going back and forth! And spending way too much time flipping through World of Interiors, dreaming about having the budget to decorate multiple homes all over the world.

Latest binge-watch: FX’s The Bear

Bucket list travel destination: Egypt

STYLE

Define your style: Effortless. I never like things to feel fussy, and irreverent, I like to twist it up.

The go-to piece in your wardrobe: Denim – I love a really good pair of jeans. Except for in the summer, then you’ll find me living in my Alex dress.

Favorite trend: I don’t care too much for trends; I pay more attention to what I get excited about. Though I think it’s funny that so much of the style from the 90s and 2000s is a trend now.      

Beauty product you can’t live without: Our American In Paris Solutions Sunny Legs.

Boots, sandals or sneakers? All three. I live in my polo boots in the winter.  In the summer, I’ll be in espadrilles and slides. I love white sneakers with dresses.

WELLNESS

Go-to way to de-stress: Massage!

Most fun way to stay active: Pilates with my instructor Erico in New York City.

Wellness goal: Better posture.

Want to try: Rock climbing.  

Proudest wellness achievement: Going keto – while now it’s effortless, it was hard initially to get started and stay committed. I don’t fall off the wagon because it takes so long to get back onto it, but I do allow myself one cheat day.

HOME

Favorite room in your home: My dining room in New York. In my mom’s house here in Virginia, it’s the kitchen.

Antiques, modern, or a mix?  A mix of moderns and antiques.

Last item bought for your home: The “Egg” – my husband Greg is the cook in the family. We made a branzino recently and it was amazing.

Favorite way to entertain: Having dinner parties at home.

Clutter-free or well-lived in? Well-lived in (but my husband is clutter-free).

Next planned purchase: I’ve been coveting a lacquer tray from Manse.

ALEXANDRIA

What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? The camaraderie, the community – meeting all the ladies! There’s so much support and opportunity for collaboration.

Favorite spots in Alexandria: Thompson Italian for working / team dinners. We have our favorite table right in the front window. La Fromagerie – I’ll go across when I’m by myself for a glass of wine and cheese. Brut Wine Bar for champagne.  

Your go-to shop: I am obsessed with Manse.

Best food spots: Thompson Italian is consistently great – I love the pork milanese there.

Favorite annual Alexandria event: Can Stylebook have an anniversary party every year?! That would be my vote.

On May 16, Alex will host an evening celebrating the official reopening of American in Paris and the launch of AIP BESPOKE. RSVP here.

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