Clementina Series: Dos a la Moda
For the love of fashion, with Dos a la Moda
Ale and Suz are the stylists behind Dos a la Moda - an emerging fashion service based in Panama. As true fashionistas, they appreciate the work of Clemente and have become loyal Clementinas. After collaborating with Dos a la Moda for Fashion Week Panama, we invited Ale and Suzie to share a bit about their styling journey and their experience with Clemente.
Your role revolves around forecasting trends, creating perfect looks, polishing styles and playing dress-up for special occasions. Where do you find inspiration and how do you keep up with the latest in the industry?
Keeping up with the ever-changing world of fashion and the countless evolving trends is definitely a challenge - but one we accepted. Forecasting trends implies understanding previous ones while staying hungry for “what’s new,” engaging with current fashion events, following collection launches, and exploring our favorite shopping websites. We do this naturally every day, as we enjoy being on the loop of the fashion world we know and love.
However, what we wear daily relies more on our personal style, than on fashion trends or “what’s in.” In other words, when it comes to dressing up, inspiration comes within, we call it: wearing our mood of the moment. We truly believe that what we wear communicates hints about who we are and our personality, even before introducing ourselves. One of our main goals is demonstrating that fashion is for anyone and that what we wear can amplify our personalities and empower oneself in daily endeavors.
Regarding inspiration, we like following fashion ambassadors or icons who have a style that we aspire to achieve and that aligns with ours. Not only does following them exploit our creativity, but it also incites us to create elevated look books that meet the style level we seek. We also pay close attention to the theme, location, and ambiance of the occasion we are dressing up for, as there is a lot of inspiration that can come from details in our surroundings. Lastly, we often get inspired by the piece of our wardrobe we want to wear and build the look from there; once a piece is defined, the styling process flows smoothly.
Shop Ale’s ring here
What advice would you give someone who wants to be more educated about the creative and technical sides of fashion styling? Any courses, books, masterclasses or blogs you suggest?
We believe that fashion is more emotional and experimental than technical – and part of our mission is to dismantle its “technicality”. We studied Global Fashion Studies in college together and learned a lot about the “why” and “how” of fashion, fabrics, colors, trend evolution, etc. We even learned the psychological side of it - which, of course, is important for someone in the field. However, even after learning the theoretical part, we believe that, when it comes to our day-to-day experience with fashion, no lesson can beat one’s personal style.
Although our knowledge about fashion styling is more practical, we always suggest deep diving into this industry by joining fashion “Masterclasses”, following fashion shows and collections, exploring useful tips and tricks on Instagram and TikTok, and looking for inspiration in countless places, blogs and Pinterest moodboards.
You had the opportunity to style our Paraíso collection for its campaign and Fashion Week runway. Can you tell us more about this experience?
Our collab with Clemente for the Paraíso collection is very dear to us as it was our first big project as Dos a la Moda. We have both been Clemente clients since day one, but we can truly say that this collaboration made us real “Clementinas.”
We had so much fun during the fitting session, where we created the looks beforehand by mixing and matching the pañuelos while figuring out which look best suited each model, considering their skin tone, hair color, body type, and personality. Aside from the looks, we also prepared a hair and makeup booklet for the photoshoot day. That day was AMAZING; we had to work hard and fast, but due to the good spirits and joyful synergy it didn’t feel like work at all.
Then came the Fashion Week runway, which was a dream come true. We adapted our favorite looks from the photoshoot and created new ones. The main challenge was making each Clemente piece the center of attention, while keeping in mind the importance of a properly-styled and accessorized look. We were always on the move! Aside from keeping everything organized backstage, we had to run back and forth to the hair and makeup room to make sure every look came out as planned, and get every model dressed and accessorized. It was a very hectic day, but the result was extremely rewarding; everything came out beautifully. We are so happy to have been a part of Clemente’s Panama Fashion Week experience.
As fashion stylists, you count with a meticulous eye and a curious mind. What about Clemente draws you into the brand and its pieces?
We love the creative freedom that entails styling Clemente pieces. As fashion stylists, being versatile while preserving uniqueness is key and thus we love Clemente pañuelos for their uncomplicated way to be dressed up or down. We also love their ability of being mixed and matched to achieve a jaw-dropping look.
Also, as part of the fashion industry, sustainability is huge for us, and Clemente is the perfect example of how being sustainable does not have to be boring or complicated. Sustainability is not only about wearing sustainable fabrics, but also about making the most out of the pieces you already own. We love how Clemente pañuelos can be worn as skirts, cover-ups, tops, dresses… the possibilities are endless.
Lastly, we align with Clemente’s vision that goes beyond just a brand: two young, female entrepreneurs exploring the world of fashion (and business) is what we are all about!
Stylists know the trick. What are your top 3 styling secrets everyone who wants to dress well should follow?
1. BUY. BASICS. Mastering the art of assembling outfits naturally is all about having good-quality basics. They are timeless pieces that can be worn in a million ways; a good pair of denim jeans, neutral-colored bodysuits, and clean-cut tops are the solid backbone of countless fashionable combinations, as they are easy to elevate and combine.
2. Dare to be unique; statement pieces do not bite. We often hear, “oh no… that’s too much” or “I like it, but I wish I could pull it off” … If you feel drawn to it, wear it. Statement pieces give your outfit a major twist and make your look more meaningful as they add an important touch of your personality.
3. Reuse and recycle. We are fans of playing around with our wardrobe. Our mission as fashion consultants and stylists is teaching our clients how to let their creativity flow. We love mixing and matching, layering, playing with prints, wearing clothes backwards, altering or repurposing pieces we already own, etc.! Not only as a sustainability approach, but also to create outfits like no other.