TALKS

Interview with Alicia Padrón

Stylist, trend hunter and mother, @aliciapadron_ brings together a sharp editorial eye, a strong sense of aesthetics and a thoughtful approach to the way we live, dress and surround ourselves with objects.

In this conversation, she opens up about the arrival of motherhood at a moment when her identity and career were already established, the challenge of reorganising everyday life, and the idea of embracing each moment as unique and unrepeatable. From her morning ritual of singing ‘What a Wonderful World’ to her newfound trust in intuition, Alicia reflects on how motherhood has changed the way she sees time, priorities and creativity.

Her approach to interiors is equally personal: simple, warm and constantly evolving, with wood, art, books and memories gradually shaping a home that feels more like a refuge than a finished composition. Nobodinoz naturally finds its place within this vision, with pieces that combine durable materials, graphic textiles and a sense of curiosity that can grow alongside a child.

As a stylist, she brings the same sensibility to children’s fashion. Vintage finds, small independent brands and one-of-a-kind pieces replace the idea of dressing babies according to a predefined aesthetic, leaving room instead for imagination, individuality and the freedom of childhood.

We’ve talked about motherhood, creativity, thoughtful interiors, children’s fashion, Madrid through new eyes and the moments she would most like to freeze in time: quiet nights, her baby sleeping on her chest, and that deeply instinctive feeling of being a refuge for another person.

Tablecloth in Large blue grid with a Set of table napkins in Small red grid

The arrival of a baby imposes a completely different pace of life, often marked by a very necessary pause. How are you embracing this new speed and what are you enjoying most about this stage?

This stage can be summarized in two words: survival and perseverance. When motherhood arrives at a moment when your identity and career are already built, the challenge is not to start from scratch, but to learn to reorganize everything. There is a Japanese concept, ichigo ichie, which talks about the importance of living each moment as something unique and unrepeatable. It is a philosophy that I have ended up adopting: if you project too far forward, the feeling of overwhelm is inevitable; if you think only about the day ahead of you, you manage to enjoy it.

And I have a small ritual that, although it sounds like a cliché, really works for me. Every morning, upon waking up, I sing What a Wonderful World to my son. (Hahaha!) It is my meditation exercise before starting the day. Surprisingly, it helps me a lot.

Baby bouncer Growing Green in Darling

You have a highly personal, bold style and exquisite taste. How does that unique personality of yours translate into the interior design of your home?

I like simple spaces that evolve with those who inhabit them. I think of the house as a blank canvas where we can gradually add pieces of art, books, postcards, and memories, rather than excessively designed spaces where it seems there is nothing left to incorporate. We bought the house a couple of years ago and I like to think that its identity will build over time.

I always return to wood and warm materials. I am very interested in that idea of organic architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright, where the house does not compete with the landscape, but coexists with it. Ours is surrounded by trees and has a lot of wood, so I often feel like we live in a small treehouse. That feeling of refuge, with objects to turn to for fun, is what I would like my son to remember from his childhood.

Bedside table Heju x Nobodinoz

The fashion industry is exciting, but demands great dedication. How are you preparing for the challenge of balancing the intensity of your career as a stylist with this new personal stage, and what motivates you most about making both worlds coexist?

I have always believed that limitations sharpen creativity. When you add a new layer of complexity to your life, you learn to organize yourself better and make the most of every minute of the day. Motherhood has forced me to be more efficient and to trust my intuition more.

I have read about neuroscience studies on how motherhood transforms the brain, a process known as matrescence. I don't think it makes you think better or worse, but differently: with a greater capacity to distinguish what is essential from the noise. In a profession like fashion, which demands hundreds of visual decisions every day, that mental clarity has become a very valuable tool.

Wall Shelves and mirror Heju x Nobodinoz

The "baby" universe is often a challenge for those of you with a more avant-garde aesthetic. What do you like most about the Nobodinoz pieces you have chosen for your home and why did you choose them?

I was interested in surrounding the baby with objects that did not belong solely to the children's universe, but were also part of our home. I believe that aesthetic sensitivity develops from a very young age, and I like him to grow up among pieces with identity, like all our books and records. Like Bruno Munari, who argued that design should spark children's curiosity.

What attracted me most to Nobodinoz was that combination of sturdy, durable wooden pieces and bright-colored textiles with graphic prints. I think they are part of my way of understanding aesthetics.

Accustomed to the best editorial closets, how is your curation process when dressing and choosing pieces for your baby? Do you look for pure functionality or can't you resist creating 'micro-looks'?

I have opened a new floodgate with children's fashion. I try not to resort to big retail brands because I believe clothes also build identity from childhood. Our mothers wore clothes that our grandmothers had sewn; today it is easy to buy a bodysuit of which hundreds of thousands of units have been produced. I am interested in reclaiming, in some way, that concept of one of a kind.

I love searching for vintage pieces from the late sixties and early seventies, often from old unused stocks, or discovering small brands that produce responsibly. I always keep in mind the cover of The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter by The Incredible String Band: I'm not interested in dressing babies like little adults, but rather preserving that freedom and fantasy unique to childhood.

I also love discovering brands that I didn't know before having a baby, such as Lille, Hello Simone, Charco, Sol Sol Kids, Studio Zeewier, or Hvid. I think children's fashion is going through a very interesting moment; 10 years ago there was almost only one way to dress babies.

Kid's chair and table Growing Green in burnt red

It has only been a few months since your baby's arrival. If you could freeze a wonderfully real moment of your current life at home, what would that moment be?

In general, the nights. Although the interrupted sleep has been tough, we did co-sleeping from day one and now, looking back, I realize that those moments with my baby sleeping on my chest are the ones I would most want to freeze. There is something very primitive and very difficult to explain about that feeling of being a refuge for another person, alone in the silence of the night.

As an expert trend hunter, what are your favorite hotspots in the city to enjoy a weekend with your baby to your liking?

I think it's not so much about discovering new places, but about seeing the ones you already know through new eyes. It's a wonderful feeling. Walking through Casa de Campo or Campo del Moro to see the peacocks. I also like visiting large museums with wide spaces and large-format, colorful works, like the new extension of Spanish contemporary art at the Reina Sofía. We usually carry the baby in a wrap/carrier, which allows us to keep doing these kinds of plans with quite some freedom.

When looking for something smaller, I always drop by galleries like Travesía Cuatro, Ryder, Ehrhardt Flórez, Belmonte, or El Chico. I also enjoy taking him to spaces where he can look up at the ceilings and the light, like the Palacio de Cristal or the hermita de San Antonio de la Florida, with Goya's frescoes.

And always some new café or restaurant in the Madrid Río area, where I live, like Nofin, 36, María del Río, Obrera, or Clamore.