Acclaimed designer and former Chief Creative Officer of Ralph Lauren, Alfredo Paredes, debuted his shop this summer on Shelter Island. The Alfredo Paredes Shelter Island Shop at Ram Design Home is featuring the designer’s luxury furniture collection, alongside home accessories, art and vintage objects curated by Cristina Peffer, founder of the venue. We spoke with Paredes about his bespoke work and why he brought it to the East End.
Mr. Paredes, your pop up boutique at Ram Design is stunning! What brought you to the East End to open the shop?
As a long-time resident of Shelter Island, I have a personal connection to the community. I love this place and the people, and I want others to know about Shelter Island. With that said, Ram Design Home felt like the perfect place to showcase my furniture line for the New York market.
You have a multi-disciplinary design methodology. What does this mean and how does it affect your design process?
It’s essential to understand what each client wants and needs from the start to help guide the design process, which is fluid and differs from one project to the next. This Zoom stuff is getting old; we like to meet the clients in person, we can more easily get to the heart of what they are looking to accomplish. We ask a lot of questions; what inspires them, how they want to use the space. From there, we create and share mood boards and build on the design together. In many cases we are involved with a project even beyond the interior design — we can help develop branding for our clients including logos, playlists, and scents to complete the picture.
You spent 33 years designing experiences, products and more for Ralph Lauren and was last the Chief Creative Officer. What did you learn from such an elevated position at a globally-known brand? Did it guide your own design style?
Working with Mr. Lauren was such an education and a constant learning experience. We were creating things daily with different aesthetics, which allowed me to experiment with many different styles and types of designs. My time at Ralph Lauren taught me how to be more than just an interior designer; I learned how to be a creative director, which helps me in my work today, creating environments that people want to live in and experiences that people want to live through, just like a movie.
How would you describe your “style” in terms of design?
Relevant with a love for the bohemian, the industrial and vintage.
Of late, what inspires you?
Designing my dream home in Locust Valley.
To learn more about Alfredo Paredes, visit www.alfredoparedesstudio.com.
