What do cupcakes, fixed gear-riding hipsters, punk rock and the color pink have in common? On the face of it, not much. But in the mind of 18-year-old San Francisco designer Alyssa Casares, they’re altogether fitting friends. Each was a source of inspiration in the spring 2010 collection of pretty skirts and party dresses Casares creates under the label Alyssa Nicole.

“It’s edgy and sweet,” she says of her latest designs’ look.

With a recent WWD mention and a bevy of new looks in her online shop, Casares balances work, school and her burgeoning business as stylishly as she can. The new spring offerings comprise the sixth collection from Casares, who began sewing as a tween and never looked back.

“When I was 16 I designed my first collection and when people started to notice what I could do, they would ask me to design for them. When I began to sell custom dresses, I received a lot of positive feedback and realized it didn’t have to be just a hobby,” she tell us.

Along with custom designs upon request, Casares makes each dress she sells online according to customers’ measurements. Garments take between one and three weeks to complete. Prices range from $25 for a simple halter-neck sundress to $250 for the party dresses with full tulle skirts available in the Alyssa Nicole etsy shop.

Photography by Brandon Biggs and Caitlin Nascimento