Welcome to Aleksandra Laurenzo, an artisan led slow fashion brand intent on leaving this world more beautiful than we found it.
A brand where luxury is crafted holistically, where we act as stewards to our community and land, where we emphasize craft and creativity, and where we tell stories and dive deep into our heritage.
It is also our hope to celebrate the beauty of Russian culture and history. In the words of my mother, “the true beautiful Russia, and the mystery of the Russian soul.”
Our Core Values
Authenticity
Stewardship of Land & Community
Balance with Nature
Respect for People & The Environment
Creativity & Curiosity
Quality & Attention to Detail
Fancy seeing you here!
I’m Aleksandra
I’ve always (very proudly) been a bit of misfit.
It was quite a natural result of the fact that the other kids at my school in the suburbs of Washington D.C didn’t have Russian moms who hosted banya Saturdays - complete with pickle shots and borscht -, or dance tango in the living room with friends (Russians have quite the weakness for tango). They didn’t eat anything pickled, watch Soviet cartoons, or travel to Russia every summer.
My friends couldn’t (and still can’t♡) pronounce the names of my cats or of my favorite foods prepared carefully by my babushka Ida.
So, sure I felt like quite a misfit growing up, but I was the happiest misfit you could find because I was (and am) fiercely proud of everything that made me different.
Our dacha
My babushka Ida, circa 1950
On those summer trips to Russia we would visit my mom’s family in Uglich and St.Petersburg, traveling often by magical overnight train. Our time in St. Petersburg was always highlighted by the glow of the city bathed in the eternal sunset of June’s white nights and trips to our family’s dacha (country/summer house).
White nights, gooseberries in the garden, the peeling paint of the old green house, steam from the banya, crackling of fire wood in the old stove and outside in the fire pit, the sounds of stray dogs howling in the distance at night, the taste of freshly pickled cucumbers, the birch trees dancing in the wind, the sound of my babushka calling us down for lunch from the secret attic playroom, the fear of running to the outhouse in the middle of night, planting potatoes in the garden, listening to the rain pitter patter on the tin roof.
These are the memories of Russia that decorate my childhood.
Aleksandra’s Story
How we got here..
2025 - Purchased my first very own industrial leather
sewing machine and sciving machine and started searching
for an Atelier in the vicinity of Florence.
2026 - After months of searching and 2 years of commuting to Scandicci to use a shared studio, I finally moved into my first Atelier in Via Guelfa and gave my machines a home after months of sitting in storage.
2003 - Pirates of The Carribean,
The Curse of the Black Pearl hits theatres (kicking off my lifelong obsession with pirates)
2004 - The Phantom of The Opera Hits Theatres
(Two of my favorite movies to this day for a variety of reasons but costumes playing a major role)
2005 - Received my first mini sewing machine and began to sew lots gifts for family and friends
Somewhere between 2005 & 2016 - Constantly sketching clothes, sewing and dreaming about costumes, corsets, and gowns. Imagining I’m the well dressed heroin of every story, Elizabeth Swan, Princess Anastasia, Christine Daeae, or Odette
2016 - Watched The True Cost on a rainy day in my freshman dorm room at Kent State University which forever changed my outlook on the fashion industry.
I vowed to stop shopping fast fashion then and there.
2018 - Studied abroad in Florence, Italy and became enamored with the craftsmanship, the beauty and history of the city and the simple & raw beauty of leather goods. I began figuring out how to move back to Italy for good.
2019 - Realized my passion in design was in researching aspects of my Russian heritage and exploring the connection to sustainable materials and ethical practices
2020 - Completed and showed my first collection, But the Muses Were Not Silent, which laid the foundation for my brand identity. A few weeks later graduated with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design.
2020 - Began working as an Assistant Handbag Designer for a small design agency, then moved on to a corporate design role in NYC. Always lead by my interest in researching sustainability, I discovered regenerative farming.
2023 - Left the chaos of New York City for my dream of living la bella vita in Italy. And to study the art of artisanal handbag making.
2024 - After years of dreaming, plotting and planning, I pulled the plug and ~ soft launched ~ Aleksandra Laurenzo, starting with made to order handbags.