Alejandra Alonso Rojas Pens a Touching Letter to Her Mother for Mother’s Day

Madrid-born designer Alejandra Alonso Rojas shared a touching letter she wrote to her mother on Mother’s Day. Although New York City-based Rojas honed her craft at Central St. Martins and Parsons (and earned degrees from IADE in Lisbon and the Sorbonne in Paris), Rojas credits her mother for her earliest design education. She is now known for her exquisite work in leather and knits—hand-knitting is a skill that has been passed down through generations of Alonso women. Below, Rojas pays tribute to the most important woman in her life and shares some fun photos, with plenty of retro inspo, from the family archives.

To my first love, my mother, Monica,

It’s been 31 years since we first met, in your beloved hometown of Madrid. I wish I could remember that sun-soaked afternoon in August when I first saw your beautiful face and, while holding me in your arms, you said my name for the very first time: Alejandra. Since that day, like home, you have always been where my heart is. Yours is the purest love I will ever know.

You are my very first memory, and what a memory it is. Reflected in your eyes, I saw my first laugh, my first tears. Holding your hands, I learned how to take my first steps and slowly, yet confidently, make my way in this world. Thank you for teaching me to believe in myself, always, and for loving me enough to set boundaries, to trust me absolutely, and for giving me the world to explore with self-assurance and wide-eyed curiosity.

Your strength has been an inspiration to me for all these years, no matter how tough times were, no matter what hardships arose. And your beautiful voice, your sage wisdom, and kind words, have gotten me through any challenge I have faced—with the utmost grace. It is through your example, your elegance and dignity, that I have become the woman I am today.

You also passed down to me your unique creative sensibility and the essence of your personal style, at once sophisticated and nonchalant. You taught me how to knit, a skill you learned from your grandmother, at the mere age of 4, and your exquisite paintings, in which you reflect the world you see and the visions of your vivid imagination, instilled in me a love of print, color, and, most importantly, the significance of individual expression.

You are the root of what I do, my greatest joy and my greatest source of inspiration. I love you. Happy Mother’s Day.

Your Daughter,

Alejandra