Biography
Alectra Rothschild is a fashion designer, artist and imagemaker. She was the first openly trans woman to show at Copenhagen Fashion Week with her eponymous brand Alectra Rothschild / MASCULINA. She is currently based in Copenhagen.
Do you remember the moment you’ve broken out of beige, out of the norms? Is it something that happens overnight?
I’ve broken out of beige multiple times in my life. For me, it’s not something that happened overnight. It’s more of a feeling that accumulates and festers, and then, well, you break out of it.
The first time I broke out of beige is what put me on the trajectory to becoming a fashion designer. I dropped out of 10th grade and started production school. This is where I first started sewing and designing.
The next breaking beige moment was during my BA in fashion & arts in Stockholm, when I realised that garments can have a voice. After that, I started diving into identity studies, and discovered the real importance of my practice as a queer designer.
The next pivotal moment in this ‘grand escape’ was when I started my label; MASCULINA. This opened my world to the most colourful experiences and the most fab and likeminded people.
I feel like ‘escaping the beige’ is a process that keeps happening. Or at least, it should keep on happening.
Do you still have a ‘beige’ guilty pleasure?
Hmm I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. Why feel guilty about pleasure? I ain’t got time for that!
Tell us more about MASCULINA? What are the driving philosophies behind the brand? And do they evolve over time?
MASCULINA is the combo of feminina and masculino, with an anarchist ‘A’ at the end, which means that we don’t subscribe to previous and orthodox notions of gender.
I have an ever-evolving ethos. ‘Speak from where you stand’ and ‘work with what you’ve got’ are most important to me atm.
Your brand, MASCULINA is obviously not beige, but do you still find yourself craving reinvention to ensure that MASCULINA keeps breaking norms?
MASCULINA always speaks about the experience of transness from different vantage points. Trans people will always break beige until fully assimilated into society.
In terms of reinvention, MASCULINA will crave it when I crave it.
Does ‘breaking out of beige’ ever have its downsides? Do you lose something along the way?
When you take a stance for something you believe in, there’s always a risk that you will close the door on some people and experiences… but that’s just life!
What’s a piece of advice you can give to the young, up & coming “beige outs”?
Fuck it up!!!
Watch the vid
Watch our FREAK BEIGE OUT campaign video below.
Credits
Photographer: Jasko Bobar
Stylist & Casting: Matija Max Vidovich
MUA: Loïs Zaina
Ai videos: Sally Trier
Creative direction: OMHU Inhouse Creative Agency