Designers You Should Know: Alice Roi

Alice Roi did not follow the traditional road to becoming a fashion designer. The 28-year-old, New York native, instead followed a different path; working at major fashion magazines such as Elle, before designing her first collection.

"I always wanted to do something in the women's industry as long as I can remember," said Roi. "But in high school and college I was thinking less ambitiously, and I was thinking the closest I could get to being a designer was working at a publication. I tried it out and I wasn't completely satisfied artistically. So, I tried to go to the next level and see how that worked out and it did."

Roi was a break-out hit amongst the New York fashion elite. Her mixture of prep and romance struck a chord with fashionistas and celebrities alike; instantly catapulting her line to a "must-have" status. Roi has been described by peers as one of the brightest stars among the indie designers blending traditional looks with classic romance to bring to life a new breed of 'preppy chic'.

The look is something Roi tries to implement in her personal style, ""I find myself doing a lot of contrasting things. Maybe wearing an ascot with a t-shirt, instead of a full outfit, you put your gym outfit with your fancy outfit kind of thing. I do like to play up contrasts and do the preppy thing but make it also romantic at the same time.

"It is romantic but firmly grounded in classic pieces."

Roi's fall 2007 collection does not stray far from her basic beliefs. Gaining inspiration from collections past, and the vibe of the industry, Roi applied an equestrian air to her new line peppered with just the right amount of geometric and floral fabrics.

"At first the inspiration was Art Noveau," commented Roi. "As far as the construction of the pieces, there are some geometric lines mixed with floral fabrics. The print and the trim are very floral, which is sort of like the concept behind Art Noveau. Very graphic and natural. Natural beauty. So, I was playing up that contrast of geometric and natural.

"The spirit of it was horse riding. We used riding boots, and little scarves. It was a preppy riding feel.