Alineo Studio

When Lis Domínguez (Ibiza, 1999) was little, she used to draw mermaids. Even if she wasn’t fully aware at the time, these mermaids said a lot about herself. These mythological creatures, which she imagined roamed the underwater surrounding her island, have followed her throughout her life to become one of the main sources of inspiration for her brand, Alineo Studio. A brand that, with its Aura collection, won the Allianz EGO Confidence In Fashion award at the latest edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid, an event sponsored by Iberia. A recognition of emerging talent that has allowed this young designer to dream big, but which wouldn’t have been possible without her family’s support: “We could say that Alineo is a family business, and I’d like it to continue this way. Without their help, Alineo wouldn’t have been possible because I wouldn’t be able to manage all the tasks involved alone. I try to involve them because I know that they enjoy it.” The joy that Lis exudes, along with her talent, is closely related to this: “Talent is putting joy, passion and dedication into something, and Alineo is the result.”

You weren’t going to be a designer... When did you connect with fashion and find your path?
I studied arts in high school, but I didn’t know which way to go. Art has always been present in my life because my father is a painter —that’s where my artistic side comes from—, so I considered studying Fine Arts, but I discovered the work of Palomo Spain thanks to a teacher and it opened my eyes to a whole new world: I realised that I could express my art through fashion. I did higher-level professional training in fashion and started creating my own code, my own space, where I felt safe and could express myself. I realised that I wanted to do this for a living, or at least try to.

That’s how fashion became a means of expression for you. What is it that Alineo Studio wants to express?
Everything we cannot say with words. Even though I didn’t know it at the time, when I was little, I was already drawing mermaids to express how I felt; over time I realised that those drawings spoke and thought: why not bring them to life? They have always been an inspiration for me and have become the essence of Alineo.

“By bringing meaning and adding a message to the garments, I turn something intangible into something we can see and touch”

Your collections are closely tied to personal experiences. During the creative process, how do you weave that reality into your garments?
Sometimes, the real world is very dark, and I use fantasy to decorate it; that’s why I use flat garments and paint them with dyes to create unique prints. By bringing meaning and adding a message to the garments, I turn something intangible into something we can see and touch. Knowing the story behind each garment makes us fall in love with them a second time.

One of the pieces from the ‘Aura’ collection, which made Alineo Studio successful at the latest MBFWMadrid. © Ismael Machoudi

On several occasions, you've defined your brand as “ethereal, daring and disobedient.” Why choose those three words?
Ethereal because I think of fashion as genderless, which shouldn’t be defined as masculine or feminine. Daring because my garments insinuate, they don’t show 100% of our skin, but sensually hug the body. Disobedient because we go against the tide, we break away from fast fashion —our production is customised and by request—, and shy away from trends.

Ideally, what kind of people do you design your garments for?
When I started with Alineo, I didn’t have any models to try my garments on, so I’d try them on myself. Alineo became an alter ego that allowed me to express what I had inside, to say what I’d never been able to say. Now it has evolved and is aimed at a wider audience who wants to express themselves through fashion. I don’t want Alineo to only be associated to special occasions (the red carpet or runways), I want our garments to adapt to everyday life, for them to be versatile and functional.

“Alineo became an ‘alter ego’ that allowed me to express what I had inside, to say what I’d never been able to say”

You’ve dressed young artists like Nathy Peluso, Lola Índigo, Mar Lucas, Gale, Lali, Sofía Gabanna... How did you catch their attention?
It’s been a very gradual process. We were first contacted by a stylist, and, thanks to word of mouth, we got other shootings. This is how I’ve had the chance to present my brand and reach women I’ve always admired. It seems that people like the brand and it fits in, and this makes me extremely happy because I never even dreamed of something like this.

Lis Domínguez grew up watching the Mediterranean Sea and over time it became an endless source of inspiration. © Lucas Moraes

How did it feel to receive recognition at MBFWMadrid and what does the brand’s progressive growth mean to you?
When they said my name, I wasn't expecting it, and I’ve struggled to take it in because now I feel like all the time I’ve invested in Alineo has been worth it. Alineo and I have grown and developed in tandem. It was my second time presenting at that showroom and I felt better prepared, more confident. I believe that Aura’s aesthetic coherence has helped the jury to value Alineo’s projection as a brand. My connection with them during the speech was lovely and they appreciated all the effort that went into this collection.

What does the future of Alineo Studio look like in your mind? What can an emerging brand do to become more established?
The main thing now is creating a website. We need to define some of the conceptual aspects of Alineo and see how to convey them to the website to reach more people. Keeping our feet firmly on the ground is also very important, and seeing how we can fit into the market. In the future, I can see myself opening a physical shop, even if it’s a pop-up, because the audience connects very well to us and this way they can try on the pieces and they look better on a person than on a hanger.

“Even though Spain is a tough market for emerging design, I don’t want to give up. For me, it’s a challenge”

Is it easy or hard for fashion-related emerging talent in Spain?
Whenever I meet someone, they say I should go abroad because Alineo’s style would fit in really well in other places. But I decided to stay here, to be near my roots and Mallorca, where I have my studio. Even though Spain is a tough market for emerging design, I don’t want to give up. For me, it’s a challenge. Also, I believe it’s getting better and there are more opportunities for young designers; what we need to do is make the most of them.