Alejandra G: fearless design meets philanthropy

Alejandra G learned how to make hand-crafted shoes in shoe design school in Milan and launched her first collection in the winter of 2012. Composed of exotic printed leathers and eye-catching colors, Alejandra’s collections are not only luxurious and innovative; they are inspired by European trends.

“You can’t teach creativity, but you can learn how to make a shoe from scratch,” the energetic, family-oriented designer says. While many say that beauty is pain, Alejandra doesn’t agree. “I make beautifully designed yet sexy heels that are comfortable,” she boasts. “Nothing is better than when a client says, ‘I can’t believe how sexy yet comfortable your shoes are.’”

The advice-giving shoe designer always knew she wanted to work in fashion. She didn’t know that fashion was drive her into philanthropy. Her initiative, “Soles4Souls: Wearing Out Poverty” puts brand-new shoes into the hands of children around the world who would otherwise go without or suffer from ill-fitting or worn-out hand-me-down shoes. In her own backyard of Nashville, Tenn., 19% percent of the population lives below the poverty line and nearly 31& of them are children.

Some of the recipients of the Soles4Souls gifts have come to work for her namesake brand. Brothers Adio and Chike, who received shoes from Alejandra G nine years ago when a violent incident left them homeless, help from other organizations along with Alejandra G made starting over hard but not impossible. One year ago, the brothers accompanied brand reps on a trip to Honduras to deliver shoes to school children there. “Poverty looks different in every country, but a gift of shoes always makes a real difference.”

As for her own brand, her hand-selected materials are Italian high-quality kid leather, kid suede, snake skin and her own printed fabrics. “My shoes are definitely ‘show stoppers,’ any woman who wears them will definitely stand out,” says Alejandra.