LA Fashion Week Preview: Raquel Allegra

LA-based shredder extraordinaire Raquel Allegra is on board for Gen Art’s Box Eight Fashion Week event this Friday March 13th and we couldn’t be more excited to give her jailhouse chic style a little time in the spotlight. For those of you unfamiliar with Raquel’s technique, let me break it down. She collects used-up, worn-in t-shirts from penitentiaries (the inmates’ sweat makes them supple), dyes them pretty, muted hues, and then starts shredding. The results are beautiful, delicate pieces loved by celebrities (the Olsen twins) and civilians (myself) alike. We caught up with Allegra to get the back story on her line.

Your pieces have an effortless "rock chic" look—did you have a certain icon in mind when you started your line?

I created the fashion line with all of the amazing women that I know in mind. I really wanted to design something fresh and modern that would look good on a variety of women's body types, so that it's accessible yet still unique.

What inspires me most in life is authenticity, be it a child singing their own made up song or the fiercely raw paintings of Frieda Kahlo or the honesty of Lucien Freud’s work… Some modern icons are Frieda Kahlo, Bjork, Floria Sigismondi, PJ Harvey, to name a few of my favorites.

So many celebrities already wear your line—who's one woman you'd love to dress?

I'm a major fan of Cate Blanchett's style, so I would be so excited to have the opportunity to dress her. She always manages to look both edgy and super elegant at once.

I love that you use recycled T's from jail. Was this deliberate or did they just have the softest, most worn-in selection?

I just really needed some t-shirts! So I figured, why not?

Do you think you'll ever foray into different materials?

We're looking forward to using cashmere and silks in the not-so-far future.

What was the inspiration behind your fall 09 collection?

After the lyrical designs of last season's tie-dyes, I really wanted to create something much more graphic and vivid. So the Fall 09 collection definitely has a different feel than last season's.

What's your favorite part of LA Fashion Week?

Pulling all my favorite people together to create a really special event. And after all the hard work and crazy hours that we all put in, the end result is so rewarding and makes it all worth it.

Are there any other up-and-coming designers you're admiring right now?

I try not to pay much attention to what the fashion world is doing. I like to live in a little shredded bubble and make things up as I go along… That said, I can’t help but love the work of Haider Ackerman, Rick Owens and Ann Demeulemeester.

Check out Raquel's line on shopflick.com and stop by the pulse this weekend to see shots from her new collection.