Aldo Sotomayor, from fair craftsman to distinguished designer of fashion accessories in Palermo Soho
The 38-year-old young man from Chaco, who discovered the profession by chance, creates true works of art for women and men who seek to stand out with their outfits.
In his atelier in El Salvador 4684, Palermo Soho, the native of Presidencia Roca, a town located on the right bank of the Bermejo River, designs manually from necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headbands and epaulettes, to pins, buckles, brooches, belts and scrunchies, which catch celebrities and haute couture designers.
The tweezers artist also makes interventions on purses, glasses, wallets, pendants, pashminas and cast medallions, giving them a touch of distinction that makes them unique and unrepeatable. If a job is carried out with dedication and passion, if the precise techniques are applied, accessories will become key pieces in the world of fashion.
This is how Aldo Sotomayor from Chaco understands it, a novel and talented self-taught designer of accessories and complements who captivates women and men alike with his unique pieces. “It is good that the accessories take on an absolute leading role because it enhances, that it accompanies a good look,” says the native of Presidente Roca, a small town located on the right bank of the Bermejo River, bordering the Argentine province of Formosa.
With two basic tools, such as the flat clamp and the rosary clamp, the 38-year-old bullfighter creates true pieces of art in the atelier that he has mounted in the back of Aldo Sotomayor Accesorios, the colorful store located in the Buenos Aires area of Palermo Soho. , street El Salvador 4684.
Between client and client, the designer manually forges various accessories and complements for fashion. From necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headbands and epaulettes, to pins, buckles, pins, scrunchies and belts, among many others.
"I try to be as perfectionist as possible," admits the tweezers artist, who uses premium domestic and imported supplies, smiling. Unlike clothing or jewelry designers, Aldo Sotomayor avoids putting his idea into a sketch.
“I am not one to design in advance, on paper. I choose the supplies and I shape them until they are finished”, he reveals sitting at the work table, clarifying that “my thing is accessories, it will never be jewelry”.
Restless, creative and observant like few others, the designer from Chaco stands out for intervening or customizing fashion garments, such as purses, glasses, wallets, charms, pashminas, ruanas, dresses and cast medallions. Appliques or additions give a touch of distinction to the outfits for different occasions of modern life, both for women and men.
"Personalization makes garments unique and unrepeatable," remarks Aldo, who admires Chanel's designs, in particular, and has references to exclusive foreign stores, such as Moschino, Dior and Schiaparelli. Throughout the year, the designer presents capsule collections, very exclusive lines made up of limited edition accessories and complements.
“I am inspired by the concept of the moment and the materials chosen to work with. How does the name come about? Of talks, moments lived or a situation that arises, whether personal or what happens in the world, "says Sotomayor who admires Chanel's designs, in particular, and has as references the exclusive stores of Moschino, Dior and Schiaparelli .
For special moments, such as a wedding, a birthday or an anniversary, the rocker invites his clients to participate in the personalized design of the accessories. "I ask them to bring me a photo or the color of the garments," he says, smiling.
Aldo's creations are often required by celebrities and haute couture fashion designers for exclusive presentations or shows. Unforgettable moments that he keeps in his retinas. "I do not have words to describe it. For me it was a great professional and personal growth and, through that call, to have a growth in the brand”, he assures proudly.
A SELF-TAUGHT WHO FOUND THE VOCATION BY CHANCE
He found his vocation by chance in 2011, three months after arriving at the Retiro terminal station, after traveling twelve hours by bus from his native Chaco. In the medium-sized suitcase, in addition to his belongings, he brought the degree in graphic design (visual communicator) and the dream of succeeding from what he had studied at the National University of the Northeast (UNNE).
After knocking on doors and leaving twenty resumes, he was only able to get a job as a cadet in a wholesale accessories factory. Seeing her drive and desire to progress, the owner offered her to be a design and production assistant.
“It was all new to me. I didn't know that this whole world existed”, admits Sotomayor that he began to make friends with the tweezers and even offered to assemble bracelets outside working hours. The merchant agreed to the offer with a "take the supplies you want".
Aldo gladly accepted. To the point that, after ten hours in the factory, he would return to his house and start designing until he fell asleep. Religiously, the next day he returned to the company, delivered the production and collected extra money. He was in that job for a year and a half, until he was fired. With the compensation, in the solitude of his home, he began to design and make stock.
"And now where do I sell it?" Was the question that was asked. His friends, who listened to him, recommended him to go to a fair in Puerto Madero. "I admit that I was doing very well, because working Saturday and Sunday, I got a salary," recalls the designer, noting that buyers "praised my creations for their originality."
It had all started as a hobby, while Aldo was looking for another permanent job, which he found after seven months, after joining a car dealership. But the hobby did not abandon him: every weekend he would settle in the Puerto Madero fair with his accessories. "It had never crossed my mind to set up a place," says Fernando's older brother and son of retired teacher Epifania "Fanny" Sotomayor, who had it as a single mother and "always wanted it to be someone in life."
In June 2018, Aldo meets Alejandro Traverso, a businessman and, at the time, Administrator of the Argentine Chamber of Fashion (CAM). Beyond establishing a personal relationship, Alejandro discovered in the man from Chaco the gift of creativity that he expressed through his different designs in accessories.
"A talent that deserved to be known to the world of Argentine fashion", highlighted Traverso. Praise from the seasoned fashion boss emboldened the fair's fledgling designer. After a while he joined the CAM. A decision that brought him satisfaction. Because Fernando Calvano, prominent producer of Buenos Aires Moda, called him to present his first fall/winter collection “Orígenes” on a catwalk at the Hilton Hotel.
The past ones were so successful that the same producer invited him to be part of another parade. But in this case within the capsule of the Argentine Chamber of Fashion, together with designers such as Juan Vitto, Eduardo Urquiza and Graciela Ruiz Diaz, current vice president of the CAM. On this occasion, Aldo surprised the attendees with the “Deja vu” collection.
ORIGINALITY AND PERFECTIONISM, ATTRIBUTES THAT DISTINGUISH IT
After a few weeks, his discoverer, Alejandro Traverso, tempted him to form a company. Between rounds of coffee, lunch and dinner, they agreed that it was time and created the brand Aldo Sotomayor Accesorios. Before the end of 2018, the designs were presented at the opening of the parade that took place at the Hotel de las Américas, to benefit the Fundamind Foundation.
The following year, the man from Chaco conceived the “Utopía” collection and exhibited it in a parade (produced by Alejandro Traverso) that took place in Ushuaia, as part of the End of the World Gala, organized by Alejandro Viñas and Daniel Martínez, two important Event organizers. On their way back from the southern city, Aldo and Alejandro coincided and inaugurated the long-awaited store of accessories and fashion accessories.
The rising and glittering prestige of the man from Chaco reached the ears of the haute couture designer Laurencio Adot and his partner Thiago Pinheiro, through the renowned actress, host and model Muñeca Moore. Through a meeting, Laurencio and Thiago chose him to create Greco-Roman style accessories for the “DotBallet” collection, whose fashion show was held at the Alvear Palace Hotel.
After a few weeks, already at the end of 2019, Aldo was once again summoned by the Adot brand. On this occasion, for him to intervene earrings and appliques in the parade organized by Caras Moda, in the amazing Alsina Palace. 2020 could not have started better for Aldo Sotomayor Accesorios.
It is that he presented the summer collection in the parade that "La Jaula de la Moda" did in Espacio Clarín in Mar del Plata and whose last closing was in charge of the well-known Uruguayan vedette Mónica Farro. Then the pandemic broke out and Aldo focused his work on the creation and care of his atelier in Palermo Soho.
“It makes me happy and gives me a lot of pleasure to design. Even more so when I see the results of the imagination embodied in reality, playing and seeing how that creative process is generated, until the final result is achieved”, concludes the self-taught person.
