The World of AvA: Flowery Fashion For Age Positivity

Redondo Beach, CA

“Wear AvA and become your own masterpiece.” – Ala Von Auersperg

I believe fashion changes lives. Fashion became my reason for being at a very young age. As a child, I found it to be deeply transformative. At almost 59 (July 7th baby!), it’s as transformative today as it was 50 years ago. One thing I’ve discovered about getting older is that I’m much more fearless and carefree about fashion. That’s the beauty of those years at Midlife & Beyond. The rules go out the window! Life after 50 is more about breaking rules than following them! To me, fashion is a feeling. It’s a beautiful medium that allows a woman to express herself at the deepest level. When it comes to gorgeous self expression, I’ve discovered a new designer who is equally fierce and fearless – one who creates from the heart and whose designs are truly a work of art. I’m delighted to introduce you to Ala Von Auersperg, the brilliant designer behind her eponymous line. Ala is not only a designer, she’s also the artist behind the breathtaking styles that are a little slice of heaven on earth.

Creative self expression is at the heart of the Ala Von Auersperg brand. Her design process is what makes the Ala line so unique. As an artist, Ala transcribes her original artwork onto digitally printed luxurious materials. Her art is inspired by beauty and nature as well as her global adventures. Her designs are infused with her love for all things beautiful including the women who wear them! Much of her inspiration also comes from her mother who wore the most glamorous kaftans. With her mother as her muse, Ala has reinvented the kaftan for the Modern Midlife woman.

When Team AvA reached out to me, I was so excited to learn more about the Ala Von Auersperg brand. It is delightfully refreshing, unexpected, and ethereal in nature. I couldn’t help but giggle as I took a deeper dive and began to explore their website. The brand openly celebrates Age Positivity as well as Body Positivity! A huge bonus!!! Another bonus – my dear friend and Forever Fierce sister, Veronica Webb beautifully graces their front page rocking a multitude of styles in only the way a true Supermodel can!

Ava is the epitome of effortless elegance. The designs are created to be layered or worn as separates. The sheer fabrics have a distinctly modern yet ethereal, bohemian vibe. They can stand alone as the perfect swimsuit coverup or easily layer over many of the Ava designs. That’s part of the genius behind the designs. Ala and her daughter, Sunny, her partner in crime at Ava, have a passion for travel. Ala’s life journey has brought her all over the world. Her stories will fill you with wanderlust. It’s clear that her passion for travel is infused in the brand’s brilliant designs. They’re airy and lightweight making the fabrics ideal for travel. The line is so easy to mix and match with a gorgeous collection of colorful breezy kaftans and kimonos along with the perfect fluttery poncho.

Photoshoots are so much more fun with my blogging partner and dear friend, Jacqueline Depaul, the creative visionary behind the wildly, popular blog and YouTube Channel Yellow Brick Runway. Veronica Webb sets a high bar for the Ava brand as a top supermodel whose stunning beauty has graced the covers of most major fashion magazines. She’s proof positive that the over 50 woman isn’t who she used to be! Jacqueline is also a top model, having walked the Paris Fashion Week Runway several times, the latest at the age of 50! I couldn’t resist sharing the magic and beauty of the AvA line with her. Fortunately, she couldn’t resist them either. The hardest part was deciding what to wear! With so many different styles to choose from, we both wanted just about everything we saw online.

Jacqueline and I ended up with selections from AvA’s Spring/Summer 2020 Collection. It’s been a long time since we’ve spent time together. The AvA brand is so joyful. It’s just what we all need as we begin to emerge from our quarantine refuge. The floral designs are brimming with the feeling of summer. The Elaine Pant in Gardenia is the perfect pant for warmer temperatures. It has just the right amount of stretch. We loved that it runs extra long. Jacqueline is 5’11 and I’m 5’9. We both have challenges finding pants that run long enough. They are super fun with a delicate floral pattern along with a graceful bell bottom that adds a bit of a bohemian vibe. Jacqueline is wearing the Agnes Top in Gardenia along with the Joan Poncho. I chose the Lavinia Short Dress in Gardenia layered with the Sophie Dress on top.

I decided to add a bit of a rock and roll, Coachella feeling to the look by adding a pair of metallic boots from another luxury brand, Jaclyn Jones USA. I tossed on a Samantha Wills necklace to finish the look. The designs lend themselves to endless style options. You can wear them to a luncheon in Palm Beach, traveling to the islands, a music festival and everything and anything in between. The only limits are your imagination! The beauty of AvA lies in many pieces being interchangeable and multi-purpose. They’re not only stunning, they’re functional with a multitude of endless style options. If you’re brimming with wanderlust like the two of us (take me with you to Paris next time, J!!) , you’ll find the AvA designs to be the ideal companion.

One of the best things about Ala Von Auersperg is her kind heart, compassion, empathy and desire to be a positive influence in the world. I do believe we are in desperate need of more positive influence in the crazy world we find ourselves in today. Ala is a powerful philanthropist who is a leader in the nonprofit world giving back to women who have been victims of violence. That’s a cause that’s dear to my heart as a survivor of sexual abuse. Ala believes that fashion gives her a powerful means of communication with those women as well as raising awareness around a challenging topic. Now, that’s a woman and a brand I love getting behind!

With the Ala Von Auersperg brand, you get a little bit of everything – designs that are out of this world that can’t help but lift your spirits that also give back and celebrate age positivity. Who knew fashion could be so beautiful and powerful? Check out the AvA line. You’ll find a beautiful variety of looks in each of their collections. Jacqueline and I are partial to their Spring/Summer 2020 Collection that’s also beloved by many of our Fierce sisters like Lesley Wolman, Janet Gunn and, of course, the gorgeous Fierce Supermodel, Veronica Webb! You can find the entire collection here. Sign up for the AvA newsletter to stay on top of any special sales or new fashion drops. Make sure to let us know what looks are your favorite. Trust us when we tell you, it’s going to be very hard to choose just one! The best news? You’ll find special discounts when you purchase a layered look – the more layers, the greater the savings. Cheers Beauties! Here’s to summer in style with Ala Von Auerspberg! Join us in being a #WomenofAva! #WorldofAva