A trip to Costa Rica and a viewing of the Seventies anime film “Belladonna of Sadness” sparked a period of self-discovery in Raquel Allegra.
Though originating from different ends of the world, the Central American adventure and the animation from Japan came together in the warm colors and earthy vibe of her carefree fall collection.
“We saw so many things that we related to in the film,” said the designer, before the start of her presentation that was also billed as a dance party in her eight-month-old store in Los Angeles. “Their watercolors reminded us of the way we work with tie-dye.” She also empathized with the anime heroine, whom she said is “connected to the earth, going through her own trials and is discovering herself as a woman.”
Allegra went through a similar phase in Costa Rica. “It started with a recharge and ended with total self-discovery,” she said. So uplifted by that positive feeling, she named her collection “Pura Vida,” translated from Spanish as “pure life,” and made an art film with Margo Ducharme and Nicholas Trikonis on the beaches in the tropical country.
She also injected new silhouettes and fabrics into her designs. Ivory silk rayon was burned out to resemble
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