Designer Christine Alcalay

Designer Christine AlcalayIn all honesty, I can’t remember the last time I went shopping in a bricks and mortar store. Thanks to universal shopping carts, next day delivery and the fact that every and anyone now sells online, any boutique opening or even existing nowadays needs to be special to survive. That’s where Christine Alcalay and her boutique KIWI comes in. As everyone was going digital, Christine took a risk and went the opposite way, opening a store dedicated to all things contemporary fashion in the depths of Park Slope, Brooklyn. Locals know and love it; it was one of the first stores of its kind to open in the area more than a decade ago and has become something of a neighbourhood favourite ever since.

As someone who’s time is spent scouring contemporary brands to stock in-store, it’s hardly surprising that she has a knack for understanding what women want, oftentimes before they know it. That’s why, among the brands KIWI houses, is her own eponymous line full of fresh updates on classic wardrobe staples. Here she talks working at Christian Lacroix, who the Christine Alcalay woman is and pushing through during challenging times.

ON THE EALRY YEARS & STUYDING AT PARSONS: My career path is slightly different than most. I grew up around clothing – the design, the construction, the seams and details of it all. Rolls of fabric and stacks of cut pieces piled around me for most of my childhood. For a while, I thought of many other interests I had. I have always loved music, grew up in church and was the main vocalist for years. I also had interests in writing and law. As I experimented with my other talents and interests, I couldn’t escape what made me who I am. I chose to attend the High School of Fashion Industries where I spent my teenage years draping, drawing and sewing alongside competing on the debate team and being deeply committed to my academics too. When college came into the horizon, I had already spent many years at FIT for weekend classes and wanted a different experience. Parsons struck a chord in me because it is part of the New School – it meant that I could continue to dabble in writing and many of my non-fashion interests. Parson’s Paris program was what I set my mind to. I wanted to learn the language of clothing from a different angle, a completely different point of view. The years I spent at Parsons in New York and Paris were the most eye opening years of my life in terms of discovering who I am and what fashion really means to me.

ON WORKING FOR ERIC GASKINS AND CHRISTIAN LACROIX AFTER GRADUATING: Working for others is very important. I always took whatever projects and jobs that were given to me to the next level, constantly pushing boundaries and setting high expectations for myself. I learned about detail and how small things are what make up the bigger picture. I am always grateful to be in the presence of those who have more experience and try to learn what I can because if you stop talking and start listening, the absorption rate is limitless. Ultimately, what I learned from all of my work experiences is that hard work is what brings success. It’s day and nights of hard work.


Designer Christine Alcalay


ON LAUNCHING HER LABEL AND A STORE AT THE SAME TIME: The road less traveled is the one I always choose to travel. I saw an opportunity to go directly to consumer without the middle man. It’s the way the world currently is going right now. It was a huge gamble but I also knew that if it were mine it could not fail because that wasn’t a choice. Retail has always been fascinating to me. What makes someone buy something? What makes them return? How do people want to be treated? What kind of environment makes for a good shopping experience? Who is my customer? How do I relate to them? How do I reach out to them? It’s a real puzzle. Fashion is a business but as a business it’s important to be creative as well. I have always loved meeting the woman who buy my clothes. I love getting to know them because that’s how I really make a difference in my designs. I like there to be a connection between what’s happening on the shop floor and what I’m creating in the studio.

BEING LOCATED IN PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN: I opened with a former business partner who moved to the neighborhood at the time. It took many years to grow the business and create a customer base. Kiwi was one of the first boutiques of its kind in the neighborhood. In the fourteen and a half years we’ve been open I’ve seen the neighborhood change but that’s New York for you!


Designer Christine Alcalay


ON WHAT MAKES KIWI SPECIAL: We are a small local shop. I don’t spend time on advertisement although I do feel like an on-line presence and social media are important. The way we relate in life is through experiences and in finding the things we love and discovering the things we never knew we would love. That’s how I treat my shop. I love it when a customer walks in and either says, “I found exactly what I needed” or “I didn’t even know that I needed this.”  My job as a designer and shop owner is to satiate both. In the store we stock both my label and assortment of other contemporary designers so at all times I’m thinking as a designer and a buyer.

ON EVOLUTION OVER REVOLUTION: My woman is always growing. She changes with the time and world. She evolves and so do I because I evolve as a woman and designer. I’m not interested in reinventing her or myself every season. Growing and changing is something that is good, natural and unavoidable. I love traditional tailoring and natural fibers. I always work with wool, silk, cotton and linen. My designs are very drape oriented and focus on the relationship between the fabric and cut and the way it comes to life on a woman’s body. When I started, I just wanted to make clothes that I would be proud to wear and pass on; clothes that go beyond trends. I’ve learned to ask myself where I’m going with each look when I’m in the design stage. It is also important for me that the pieces can be paired with other things already in my wardrobe. If I won’t wear it – it doesn’t get made.


Designer Christine AlcalayON THE LAUNCH OF FIG, HER NEW MEN’S STORE: I opened Fig last October. I have always loved menswear and after fourteen and a half years in womens’s retail it was time to address the other half of the population! Men’s clothes are very different from women’s and it requires a different way of buying. It’s challenging but balances the different sides of the business for me. There is nothing more intriguing than a well-dressed woman and just as mysterious and interesting is a well-dressed man.

ON KEEPING UP TO SPEED: I follow my instincts. I spend my time soaking in what’s happening in the world. I look at all the trends and also the way people dress.  Timelessness is always at the forefront of my mind but it also important to have fun with clothing. I love looking for new brands and searching for the newest fit that makes me exciting about the new season. Fashion is cyclical and styles do come back but I always find that they come back in a different way. The latest interpretations make me excited. Fashion is always changing.

ON THE CHALLENGES OF GROWING A BRAND: Having the resources and help you need is always a struggle. The growing pains are very difficult and honestly with every season comes new challenges. The stamina it takes to continue when I feel like I can’t possibly keep going is a true testament to how much I love this business. Finding the right people who feel as passionately is difficult. I’ve had so many moments when I’m pulling my hair out, wondering how I will continue, how I will find more energy, more money. There’s tears and there’s often sleepless nights. I love what I do but I hate that side. No matter what, I always head back to the sketch pad because it’s my place.  For an emerging designer, I would recommend that they ask themselves whether they really love it enough to be able to handle moments like that. They’re frequent!

 THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM & BEING ‘PRESENT’: It’s hard but my husband is my biggest support. It’s hard for sure but my husband is my biggest support. From the beginning he has always believed in my talent even when I didn’t. As a mom of three kids I’ve always wanted to be an example for my children. I need time with them as much as they need it with me. I always stop to take a deep breath and make sure I’m taking care of myself because my family and my business need me to be well. They all go hand in hand. As for time for myself, I just learned recently that I expend a lot of energy when I’m with others and need alone time in order to regenerate. I close my eyes whenever I can and stay still. I have lunch on my own, have coffee on my own, put my two year-old to sleep and listen to his breath or tend to my rose garden. There are moments of peace everywhere – I know I just need to be present