Alejandra Agostini shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Alejandra, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Neither, I’m trailblazing! A path for what I want to build doesn’t really exist. For generations, the incredible skill of a seamstress has often been treated as a side-gig or a hobby. My vision for Needle and Wand is to completely reframe that perception. I am building a legitimate, respected institution that honors the artistry of this craft while delivering an unparalleled client experience. It’s about seeing the immense opportunity to professionalize and modernize an industry while creating the path for others to follow.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, Austin! It’s an honor to be back with Voyage magazine. I’m Alejandra Agostini and I’m the founder and lead seamstress of Needle and Wand Bridal Alterations.
At its heart, what we do is ensure that a bride’s gown is absolutely perfect for her wedding day. But what my brand is truly about is transforming what has traditionally been a stressful, behind-the-scenes task into a beautiful, celebrated part of the bridal experience.
The name, Needle and Wand, truly captures my philosophy. The ‘Needle’ represents the foundation of our craft: meticulous, couture-level skill, precision, and an uncompromising dedication to the perfect fit. It’s the technical mastery that our clients trust. The ‘Wand’ is the magic of the experience we create. It’s about making a bride feel seen, heard, and confident as we sculpt her gown to her body. It’s the transformative moment when she sees her dress fit flawlessly for the first time.
What makes Needle and Wand so special is that we are challenging the old-fashioned view of alterations as a mere hobby or side-gig. I saw an opportunity to build a true institution—a professional, serene, and reliable space dedicated to this crucial final step. Instead of a stressful errand, a fitting at our studio is a calm and joyful occasion. We’re not just tailoring a dress; we are safeguarding a bride’s peace of mind.
Right now, we’re focused on refining that luxury client experience as we grow. We’re expanding our team with fellow artisans who share our vision and are meticulously booking for the 2026 wedding season. Ultimately, our story is about elevating a time-honored craft and giving it the beautiful, professional showcase it deserves.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Have you ever seen the movie ‘Mathilda”? You know how she had Miss Honey, who helped her and guided her through the difficult part of growing up and feeling alone? Well, I was lucky enough to have my own Miss Honey – her name is Anaelba Martinez and she was my dance teacher in middle school. She then went on to become a Psychologist and is my therapist now in adulthood. She introduced me to the real creative world and thought me how movement and rhythm is a form of expression. She told me I was a natural born leader and helped me develop leadership skills and creative problem solving thinking that I would carry with me through adulthood. I remember very vividly how one day she told me “when you grow up, I see you being an advocate for the arts and the creative community”. It sounds insane to think how accurate her prediction was. I am extremely grateful to have had her in such a crucial formative time in my life and now as an adult as a mentor and someone who always helps keep me grounded.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, an exact day and time actually. At the begin of 2023, I decided to not go back to the corporate world and dedicate myself entirely to growing this business. To no one’s. surprise, I didn’t know what exact changes I needed to make or where to even begin to bring in business, develop vendor relationships or pretty much anything. My basic and failed attempts to attain clients snowballed into the summer of 2023 when it was a random weekday at 2pm and I hadn’t had a single new client in two weeks and I was sitting in my living room in tears. At this point I told my now fiancee that I was done with the business and was going back to the corporate world. He then told me something that I believe to be a catalyst not only for my business, but for me as a person. He said: “There are so many people in this world (me included) that have never found something they are truly passionate about, and we find something we are good at and makes us money and stick with it. Then there are the very few, like YOU, that have been lucky enough to discover their true calling in life and have found their true passion. You are not going to give up, because you have the responsibility to live out your passion for all those of us who never found ours.” After this, I knew I had to give it my all and then some more.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely! I actually just read this question aloud to my fiancé, and he cackled. So, that’s a resounding yes. The person you see online is the person you get in person, one hundred percent.
I am an intense mix of traits—uncompromising, hysterical, deeply dedicated, and yes, unfiltered—but I am always relentlessly professional. My business is run from my home, so there’s no curtain to hide behind. I believe clients trust me because they walk in and meet the exact same person they’ve engaged with online. In an industry that can be overly sentimental, my clients know I will be straightforward, honest, and completely focused on the perfect outcome for their gown. It’s a ‘take it or leave it’ approach, and it fosters a level of trust you can’t manufacture.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I think what I understand most deeply is the power and absolute necessity of needing help.
There’s a ‘self-made’ myth in our culture where we imagine ourselves as the lone hero of our own story. But the truth is, real growth isn’t a solo climb; it’s a community effort. We all need to be rescued sometimes. I’ve learned that accepting help doesn’t diminish your achievements—it multiplies them. Having the humility to acknowledge your limitations is precisely what allows you to transcend them.
For me, my community is the bedrock of everything. From my fiancé, who is in the trenches of Needle and Wand with me every day, to my admin Alexis, who masterfully handles questions from brides’ moms, to my assistant Elise, who sews alongside me. A special thanks to my business mentor, Nadine, and the incredible community of ‘Secrets of a Bridal Seamstress’ she runs.
The success and the merit belong to all of us. I may have lit the match, but it was my community that brought the gasoline.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.needlexwand.com
- Instagram: @needlexwand
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandra-agostini-51474b346/
Image Credits
All images are by Two Pair Photography
