ALEXA CHIA WAN YU

Singapore native Alexa Chia Wan Yu earned a degree in fashion design from New York’s Parsons, The New School for Design in 2017. Exploring the theme of reincarnation, her thesis collection offered ethereal yet futuristic and strong forms in denim, and treated vinyl, as well as interchangeable, multifunctional components. The white-on-white photography that accompanied the collection enhanced the futurism of the translucent garments and laser-cut plexiglass panels. For this work, she was a finalist for the Parsons x Kering Empowering Imagination Design Competition.

Alexa Chia Wan Yu is now looking to change fashion and industry mentalities as she launches her own label. This can be seen in the silhouettes and selfdeveloped textiles of her menswear designs. This work rethinks conventional materiality, and challenges the relationship between use and style. She embraces the aesthetics of ‘everyday’ usage, interweaving purposeful tears and frayed edges with a polished grittiness. In this way, the designer aims to foster a close relationship between wearer and garment. In addition to menswear, she brings her eye for meticulous craftsmanship to leather goods and accessories. While in New York, she worked across a number of design categories in her various roles at Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang and Coach. Currently based in London, a city she feels better fits her avant-garde approach to fashion, her work is listed on Not Just a Label. www.alexachia.com