Alejandra Ruiz, born in Medellin, Colombia, graduated as a Fashion Designer from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in 2013.

With the aim of challenging critical issues in fashion and textiles culture, she began providing independent professional services through Hello Alegria Studio, collaborating nationally and internationally in projects related to conscious consumption, sustainable design education, and revalorization of waste.

In 2021 she decided to pursue a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Design at the University of California Davis, graduating in 2023. Her MFA work and research focused on repurpose-driven materials design was awarded the prestigious Ann Savageau Award by the UC Davis Design Department.

Her work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions in Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, The Netherlands and The United States.

Textiles unmaker, materials designer, sustainability researcher

STATEMENT

During my design education, I learned to create fashionable goods but noticed rapid consumption turning things into waste. I believed the world needed less stuff and more thoughtful design.

This led me to join a global conversation on how designed objects were used, cared for, disposed of, and repurposed. To reshape our relationship with ourselves, others, and the environment, I embraced a holistic view, inspired by life emerging from decay.

I now focus on design that arises from the deconstruction, disassemblage, and unmaking of what already exists. I design to revalorize discard and waste into materials and products with circular futures. 

I strongly believe in collaboration as a force to drive collective creativity towards integrally solving pressing issues.

Att.Ale

EXHIBITIONS

  • 2017 - De La Mano Gallery Medellín, Colombia “Pétreo”, an individual exhibition.

  • 2017 - Gallerie Terre d'Aligres Official selection of Parcours Bijoux Paris, France

  • 2016 - “Jugaad Conmigo” in collective exhibition El Dorado SXXI - La colecta MX. Puebla, Mexico.

  • 2016 - “Post-fosil” in a collective jewelry exhibition organized by La colecta MX. Puebla, Mexico.

  • 2015 - Lecture “Contemporary jewelry: discourses under construction” in Knowledge Pabillion during Colombiatex de las Américas 2015. Medellín, Colombia.

PUBLICATIONS

Zhang, Ruoyu & Ruiz Suárez, Alejandra & Goncu Berk, Gozde. (2024). Design and Evaluation of Auxetic E-textile Stretch Sensors for Wearable Technology Applications. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles. 48. 1320-1330. 10.5850/JKSCT.2024.48.6.1320.

Ruiz Suárez, Alejandra & Cogdell, Christina & Mak, Jacques & Rowe, Allison & Wan, Shuhao & La Saponara, Valeria. (2024). Valorization and biorefinery of local agricultural and textile wastes through mycelium composites for structural applications. Research Directions: Biotechnology Design. 2. 10.1017/btd.2024.8.

Sun, Shuyi & Ruiz Suárez, Alejandra & Pirmoradi, Sima & Vega, Katia. (2023). BioSparks: Jewelry as Electrochemical Sweat Biosensors with Modular, Repurposing and Interchangeable Approaches. UbiComp/ISWC '23 Conference Proceedings. 315-320. 10.1145/3594739.3610787.

Ruiz Suárez, Alejandra. (2023). Waste Atlas Project: Waste Stream Documentation and Bottom-up Mapping Towards Community Activation and Circular Economy Practice. Conclusions. EDRA54 Conference Proceedings.

Ruiz Suárez, Alejandra. (2023). Sustainable Pathways For Repurposing Textile Waste. 10.13140/RG.2.2.15512.98564.

Ruiz Suárez, Alejandra & La Saponara, Valeria & Mak, Jacques & Rowe, Allison. (2023). Use of mixed-fiber textile waste as reinforcement in mycelium composites: assessment of material features and life cycles. PLATE23 Conference Proceedings.

PRESS