Backstage at Vancouver Fashion Week shot by Kiki Zhang @psychotographer
Photography & Creative Direction / ALEX S. YU
Make Up / Chuan Shih
Hair / Chris Funk
Models / Rayian Babiker & Sabrina Bruns
Styling Assit / Lexi Chang
AW2019 | THE TENTH SYNCHRONICITY
The collection started with the idea of synchronicity - an experience of two or more events which occur in a meaningful manner, but which are causally un-related. The collection ties vastly different sources of inspirations into a cohesive and coexistent manner.
The collection begins with connections to the youthful silhouettes of sixties - particularly embedded with mini skirts, shift dresses and mod-style shirtings. The Japanese idols from the 90s and 00s lent the colourful prints, baby doll silhouettes and the designer’s signature usages of ruffles and gather. The collection is tied together with a nod to the 00s sportswear and athleisure vibes.
The youthful femininity of ALEX S. YU is interpreted into the collection via the play of proportion and silhouettes. Varying textiles and textures coupling with in-house designed original prints finish the overall look of the collection.
Make Up \ Louise Kim and Sion Kim
Hair \ Ken Kozuki of Redken
Eyewear Sponsor \ Front Eyewear and Crossky Trading
Show Animation \ Chuan Shih
Photographer | Grace Liu
Creative Director | Alex S. Yu
Make Up | Chuan Shih
Hair | Sophia Sun
Models | Rayian Babiker and Filip Janic
Set Assistants | Lexi Chang and Haelee Lee
AW2018 | THE CRIMSON DEMUR at Vancouver Fashion Week
Photography | Grace Liu
Creative Direction & Styling | ALEX S. YU
Make Up & Hair | Joyce Yeh
Models | Mekhi, Onosholema and Rayian
Set Assistants | Fanny Chang and Belyz Simwaka
Photography | Mescondi
Make Up & Hair | Cinthia Torres
Models | Rayian, Valeria & Victoria
Assistants | Ally Komar & Wei Chen
SS18 | THE VACANT CHAOS at Amazon Tokyo Fashion Week with Global Fashion Collective presented at Shibuya Hikarie Hall B on 20th October, 2017.
SS2018 Collection Presentation Runway at RE/SET 002 at The Great Hall, Toronto on 5th September, 2017.
PRESENTATION WITH FASHION SCOUT AT LONDON FASHION WEEK
Photographer | Chih Hsien Chen
Make Up | Chuan Shih
Hair | Kai Hou
Model | Xinju San
Jewellery | Jiwon Choi
Shoes | No. 22
SS17 | THE PERCEIVED ANALOGY
The Spring Summer 2017 collection, THE PERCEIVED ANALOGY, brings designer Alex S. Yu back to his roots and explores the shaping of an identity fashioned by the forces of culture that would become his signature style.
At the seven years old, Alex's family immigrated to Canada from Taiwan. Moving to a foreign country as young as he did, he managed to grasp English quickly and assimilate more easily than his parents. Though these things came effortlessly to him, he still felt like he did not fit in with the Canadian children, whose ideologies and cultural values are deeply engrained and unchanged. When Alex went back to Taiwan to visit, he again, found that he did not quite belong there either. Always only seen as either-or, and never both at the same time, thus begans the cultural push-and-pull that Alex felt while coming to find his own identity -- the 1.5 Generation Immigrants phenomenon. At home, he was raised with Japanese and Taiwanese traditions, and at school, he was exposed to the North American culture. The two languages, two sets of cultural values, social expectations, rules, and ideals -- they all shaped Alex's growth, his perception, and how he expressed himself. The languages he spoke, the shows he watched, the fashion he sported, all evidenced the fact that he is too "F.O.B." to his Canadian friends, and too "white-washed" for his Taiwanese friends and family. But to himself, he is both cultures, but made to feel like, none.
This collection explores the different facets of a mixed-culture identity; specifically, the cultures that molded ALEX S. YU as a person, and as a designer. The way he views the world, and his values, are neither very "North American" nor very "Asian". He is in between. He is both. The collection reflects these complicated feelings through the mix-and-matching of cultural references and fashion trends, all blended together in Alex's own unique way. The collection is an analogy. It tells Alex's story, how the designs are his perception of the world, and how it is a world influenced by the cultures he attained while growing up. The garment is a manifestation of that hybrid of cultures. It is a hybrid of laid-back sportswear, driven by the quintessential Canadian look, and the more colourful and vivid, mix-and-match lifestyle of the Taiwanese, as perceived through the designer's lifelong experience of both cultures.
Photography | ALEX S. YU
Make Up & hair | Kasey Chen
Models | Victoria Lui
Styling Assistant | Kieu Le
Park Calgary - May 2017
All Photographs by Eluvier Acosta Guevara
Photography | Chih Hsien Chen
Make Up & Hair | Chuan Shih
Model | Su Jung Ying
Styling | Alex S. Yu
Photography | Chih Han Yang
Make Up & Hair | Chih Han Yang
Model | Chih Han Yang
Styling | Alex S. YU
THE ARTIFICIAL PROMISE is inspired by the voice of the people, the Vox Populi, against the organized interest and partisan propaganda of big government. George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984, which confronts the unsettling subject matter of the unrelenting control of a governing body and the want of autonomy by its conscious citizens, serves as the starting point of this collection; while another source of inspiration comes from the current and very real events happening globally -- governments spying and invading the privacies of its own people. This collection asks the question: How free, really, are we?
In an age where we have various outlets and virtual soap boxes from which to express our opinions, ostensibly unregulated, and where social media is fully embraced as part of our lives, we have to ask... have we just opened ourselves to be controlled by other means? Freedom, submission, transparency, coercion are all very abstract concepts... but words offer the means to meaning. So what do those words mean to you?
The collection reflects the contrasting emotions of the inspirations in the form of contemporary luxury women's street wear. The collection plays with numerous menswear references and visually restricting tailoring elements such as a high and tight turtleneck or skin tight sleeves. Stark visual contrasts such as exaggerated looseness versus tightness in one piece are used abundantly in the collection to illustrate the very question of, “Are we really as free as we think we are?” Original prints featuring vivid graphics, quirky texts and 2D rendering of plaids created by the designer are once again a key component in the collection. The collection features the designer’s strong usages of mixtures of colours and materials while incorporating a slightly more mature and muted colour palette. This season also sees the the designer’s first foray into menswear. As well as a slight steer into a new territory as the designer incorporates new techniques and materials while maintaining the essence of the ALEX S. YU aesthetic.
Photography | Jason Mordeno
Make Up & hair | Kasey Chen
Models | Kara Zhang & Victorial Lui
Styling Assistant | Frank Wang
Photography | Dominic Chan
Make Up & Hair | Chuan Shih
Model | Li Kuanzhen
Styling | ALEX S. YU
Photography | Jason Mordeno
Make Up & Hair | Kasey Chen
Styling | Frank Wang
Models | Mieka & Camryn of Lizbell
Photography, Make Up & Model | Chih-han Yang
Styling | Alex S. Yu
Editorial featured in Aether Magazine.
Photography | Dominic Chan
Creative Director & Styling | Alex S. Yu
Lead Make Up | Chuan Shih
Assist Make Up | May Cui
Hair Stylist | Tia Davis
Set Assistant | Douglas Hsieh
Models | Jody, Rose, Steph, Tia, & Lucy (all Family Management) & Lisa
Photography | Yuting Lo
Make Up & Hair | Chuan Shih
Styling | ALEX S. YU
Model | Chihhan Yang
Photography | Eros Wu & Jeff Wang
Editing | Eros Wu
Styling | Alex S. Yu
Lead Make Up & Hair | Bear Sun
Assistant Make Up & Hair | Chuan Shih
Models | Likuanzhen, Amy, Ria & Filantropi
Photography | Jason Mordeno
Make Up | Joyce Yeh
Hair | Enid Ko
Model | Lisa Chen
Assistant | Jake Jang
Photography | Yuting Lo
Make Up & Hair | Chuan Shih
Styling | ALEX S. YU
Model | Moro Wu
Photography | Takako Noel
Model | Anke
Photography | Jason Mordeno
Lead Make Up & Hair | Jerry Kuo
Assist Make Up & Hair | Sally Chiang
Models | Jessica, Sandy, Lisa & Lucia
Photography | Yuya Remy
Styling | Takako Nagai
Model | Andra
Photography | Pooya Nabei
Styling | Sarah Daniels
Model | Lucy Jeanne of Lizbell
Photography | Jason Mordeno
Make Up & Hair | Louise Kim
Styling | ALEX S. YU
Model | Jordan Swail of Lizbell
Graduate collection at London College of Fashion
Photography | Kenny Ip
Styling | Takako Nagai
Term Project at London College of Fashion