<strong>LA</strong> DESIGNERS Bex Taylor Klaus is far from your typical upand-coming actress. She quickly developed a cult fanbase after viewers were str uck by her gender-bending character, Bullet, on Netflix’s revived season of AMC’s <strong>The</strong> Killing. Catch her on the upcoming season of Arrow, as streetwise DC sidekick, “Sin.” master class Former FIDM student, Alejandro Ortega takes on the fashion world...in his own way BY SARA BERKES Q Describe what you do in one sentence. I do moral ambiguity on a professional scale. Q Where are you from? Atlanta, GA Q Where are you going? Chasing the shadows. Q What drives you there? To be an actor is to visit the dark places others strive to stay away from. I want to visit those dark places. I always find the most interesting spots of light there. Q If you were to explain your belief or theory of life to a 5 year old, what would you say? Even when life sucks, there is magic everywhere. You just have to remember to look up. Q What’s your guilty pleasure? What form does it take? (ex: Baking, reading teenage thriller novels, etc) I have this theory that if you feel any guilt, it’s not a true pleasure. That being said, I do have a deep love for Disney princesses and honestly cannot get enough of the old cartoon movies! Former FIDM student Alejandro Ortega loves fashion. Growing up in Morelia, Mexico, Alejandro’s mother was a tailor, fashion designer, and founder of a fashion institute, and it was at twelve years old, after seeing his mother’s first fashion show, that Alejandro realized fashion was his calling. Inspired by fashion greats such as Cristobal Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, and Christian Dior, whom he describes as “innovators, creators, and masters in the world of fashion,” Alejandro sees being a fashion designer as “like being an actor. I can be anyone when it comes to creating fashion. You are always casting for new roles.” Graduating from FIDM’s <strong>Fashion</strong> Design program PHOTOGRAPHED in 2011, Alejandro BYreceived a full scholarship KELLY WEBB to present his Debut show in 2012. His show was such a success that he was offered a second full scholarship to study haute couture at the prestigious Koefia Institute in Rome. Along with studying fashion in school, Alejandro has had plenty of hands-on work in the industry. As associate designer at Bocanegra, Alejandro had the opportunity to dress celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Reese Witherspoon, and Mila Kunis. He has also worked for Louis Verdad, David Salom, Akiko, Kevin Hall, Elisabetta Rogiani, and French-American company, Jomsy Inc. As for where he gets his own design inspiration, Alejandro notes that it can come “from anything, whatever catches my attention. It can be on the street, at a restaurant, while driving… anything with color, shape, and texture. But it has to be unique,” he says. “I am not a classic guy, I always like to be different.” Like the fashion greats that have come before him, Alejandro has big dreams for his future in the industry. “<strong>The</strong>y had a dream, and now their houses have transformed into empires. I would like to be the next one, I would like to have my own empire… and I will!” PHOTOGRAPHER: NINO VIA - NINOVIA.COM • MODEL: TIFFANY MAYBEE - ICE GENETICS MODEL: <strong>LA</strong>UREN SEELY MAKE-UP: JENNY KARL - JENNY KARL HAIR & MAKE UP AGENCY SHOT ON LOCATION FIDM 24 <strong>LA</strong> FASHION SPRING <strong>2014</strong> thelosangelesfashion.com
thelosangelesfashion.com SPRING <strong>2014</strong> <strong>LA</strong> FASHION 25