The book, Beyond Chic: Great Fashion Designers at Home, is sitting on a table in Alejandra Cicognani’s living room. A white Phalaenopsis orchid and a stylized, sterling silver cat sit nearby. Upon closer inspection, the cat turns out to be a purse with a braided silver chain. “Beyond chic” is an apt description for everything about Alejandra Cicognani.
Alejandra’s two-story, New York apartment reflects a sophisticated sense of style and flair. High ceilings, parquet floors, a spiral staircase and arched doorways showcase armless velvet sofas, distinctly European chairs and tables stacked with books and family photos in silver frames. Whether it’s her taste in photography, paintings, Pre-Columbian pottery or contemporary art, Alejandra Cicognani gives the credit to her friends.
IN LATIN AMERICA, THERE ARE CERTAIN THIRD-WORLD ISSUES. LIVING THROUGH REVOLUTIONS AND POLITICAL UPHEAVAL HAS GIVEN ME A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES.
“I wish it was from me, but really, it’s from my friends. I know what I like, and what I don’t like. (Laughs.) That’s a good starting point. Then I have these wonderful friends, with great flair and a sense of proportion, and they helped me understand my own style. Ultimately, you make it your own.”
Fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish, Alejandra Cicognani is a global woman. Her accent is exotic, and she speaks with a throaty purr. After earning a BA in History and French Literature from Boston College, and a Masters in Political Science from New York University, she went to work for an investment banking firm.
“As a financial analyst, I was working on a project that involved Cartier. Then I was offered a job, creating a marketing plan for Cartier. It was interesting to see how products evolve and how you can capture people’s imagination. Eventually, I went to work in fashion.
“I worked with Chloe, when Karl Lagerfeld came back… Little by little I moved to the luxury fashion business, and now, I have a boutique PR business in New York that I’ve operated for almost 14 years. I’m fortunate to work with niche brands and specialty products I really believe in –– they’re all luxurious, and very successful.”
When asked about her European sensibilities, Alejandra says, “I was married for a long time to an Italian and lived in Europe, but today, I don’t feel like I come from anywhere. New York is home, but I am from Nicaragua. Born in Mexico City.”
Alejandra Cicognani is a polished woman of strength and dignity. “I don’t know a Latin American woman who’s not strong.”
