1. Introduce yourself!
Hi! I’m Alessandra Perez-Rubio Loverde and I’m the co-founder and creative director of Mestiza New York. I recently moved from Brooklyn to NJ with my husband and two children, Carlos and Dominic.
Hi! I’m Louisa Rechter Takacs and I’m the co-founder and CEO of Mestiza New York. I’m originally from the Midwest but am now officially considered a New Yorker. I live with my husband and our two children, Elliott and Clementine, on the upper east side of Manhattan.
2. What about the Pink Chicken brand made you want to collaborate on this special Mommy & Me capsule?
We were immediately drawn to Pink Chicken’s vibrant and playful aesthetic. When we were first introduced to Stacey back in April of 2023, we quickly realized a collaboration for Mother’s Day was a natural fit! Stacey’s penchant for unique patterns, coupled with her love for whimsical designs and vintage inspiration, align so well with Mestiza’s core values. Stacey has also been wonderful to work with, and we’re so excited to bring both our customers a blend of whimsy and sophistication in a look they can match their littles in!
3. What was the inspiration for the prints and styles?
Our Midnight Garden print was an instant hit when we first introduced it in Spring of 2023. Since then, we’ve reimagined this print in a few different seasons, silhouettes, and colorways. When we decided to move forward with a collaboration for Mother’s Day, it was a no-brainer to do both styles in a best-selling spring floral print.
4. Tell us the story of how Mestiza NY came to be? What makes you different from other Womens brands?
When we began our lives in New York City, we craved a wardrobe that consisted of high quality items that would stand the test of time. We were both inspired by the garments we remembered our grandmother’s wearing and have passed down to us, so we set out to recreate heirloom quality garments that resonate with the modern woman, to be worn and loved over the years.
5. As Mothers, where would you wear these styles? How would you put your own personal spin on them, accessorize etc?
Louisa: The Jasmine Midi dress is one of those styles you can wear unbelted and flowy while having a picnic in the park, or you can doll it up for a cocktail party with fantastic accessories. For my daughter, I envision her wearing this dress to school, a birthday party, or her big brother’s nursery school graduation. The little girl’s dress is gorgeous enough for a wedding but durable enough where you can throw it in the wash. I styled this dress on my daughter with blue velvet mary janes and white ruffle socks.
Alessandra: I’m wearing the Jasmine Midi Dress this spring with gold slides and layering with lots of jewelry and my Mestiza x Rafe Clutch. I love how colorful, optimistic, and versatile it is, and love throwing it on to go to the pool in the summer or even dressing it up to go out to dinner with friends. I prefer wearing it unbelted and free, it's a dress truly meant for comfort as much as style.
6. Where do you envision your customers wearing these dresses?
Both the Clementine little girls dress and Jasmine Midi are crafted in our machine washable and easy to care for cotton poplin, so we see our customers wearing these to anywhere from the playground to a fancy dinner with grownups!
7. How does your personal style inspire your creations?
Alessandra: With my personal style, I am very much a maximalist. I am usually drawn to vintage inspired fashion, cool statement pieces layered with wardrobe staples and bold colors. When designing I always imagine myself in each piece, where I am wearing it, and how I would personally style it. I think that’s the most important part of the process, Louisa and I need to stand behind each piece ourselves to be able to convince the world to fall in love with them as well.
Louisa: Like Ale, I’ve always been drawn to vintage style - I find the classic silhouettes to be universally flattering and I love the use of color and print that was used particularly in the 60s and 70s. When creating the merchandising plan, I love to collaborate with Alessandra on how we can take elements of the past but make them relevant to today’s customer.
8. If you weren’t business owners/designers, what would you be?
Louisa: I think I’d be a pretty good movie star agent! There are certain people in my life who are just so fun and charismatic, I’d want to get them on the big screen!
Alessandra: I think that no matter what I did, it would have to be creative. I would be an interior designer, photographer, or artist.
9. Any fun Mother's Day plans?
Louisa: I’m planning to have a family adventure day! This is when we leave the apartment and go to a new place, and along the way, if the kids see a store they want to go in or a certain thing they want to explore, we go with it and see where the day goes, and we don’t stop until the sun sets. Last time we started at a magna tile experience and ended up at a Cat Cafe! It’s really fun to just let go and let the little ones lead the way!
Alessandra: I just want to have a relaxing day with my family, maybe go out to brunch, spend as much time outside, share a glass of wine with my husband out on our patio and grill for dinner while the kids play on the lawn.