Born in Athens-Greece, Alexa Papavasileiou cultivated a passion for the arts since she was a child. Commencing her career in Paris she developed the know-how of the fashion craft training at the maisons of Giambattista Valli, LANVIN and Chloe. Moving to London in 2015 Alexa has been working as a fashion designer and consultant exploring further pathways of textiles and print.
Passionate about sustainability and empowering women, Alexa launches the DesignBlender atelier in spring 2020. Born from the desire to introduce new design paradigms into luxury fashion that combine her experience and nurture sustainability, DesignBlender playfully intermixes new and old materials into an opulent escapist aesthetic.
‘At DesignBlender, the idea of merging the old and the new into hybrid pieces of clothing is a key driver in my work; to reinvent clothes and preserve the search of fashion for newness.’
PRESS
This August 2021 we strutted into Fall season with our upcycling modjo at full force! Together with other emerging designers I showcased the DesignBlender collection for one month at the Selfridge’s window. A collaboration that was realized through RETURE, the world’s first ever fashion upcycling platform connecting designers, clients and fabulous reworked products. I feel very fortunate to have collaborated with Nina Van Volkinburg, the CEO of RETURE on this incredible project - the RESELLFRIDGES pop-up.
This past year has been an incremental study and dedication to approaching design from a circular angle. A golden ticket - where all my trial-and-error efforts were put into practise - for 5 consecutive days I upcycled live at the front store window interacting on the daily with the Selfridges clientele. Customers were able to stop-by, interact with each designer and most importantly discuss their upcycled transformation of dreams! The excitement and receptive spirit that we received towards this work was deeply motivating. Thank you very much to all who visited the pop-up, it is a great feeling of joy hearing that you were inspired to look differently at the many ways we can create fashion and wear pre-loved clothes.
SHEER LUXE
‘5 Fashion Alteration & Repair Services To Know.’
Because Magazine
‘The Upcycled Recipe of Sustainable Success.’
ELLE Italy
‘Talia Collective’s Campaign’
THE LUMINARIES
‘The power of reinvention. So you crave new? Well, you can have your conscious, thrifty fashion cake and eat it with cast-off fabulous clothes and vintage treasures upcycled into wondrous new pieces that are destined to become a talking point and a way forward.’
TALIA COLLECTIVE
‘Changemaker interview.’
LIBERTY London
‘AW21 Fabrics Campaign’