ALEX S. YU'S 10th Anniversary at VFW
Alex S. Yu's 10th anniversary in fashion was celebrated at Vancouver Fashion Week's opening night on Oct 22nd, 2025. The official name for the night was Alex In Wonderland. The tenth-anniversary collection, Prologue 3688, drew inspiration from Lewis Carroll's timeless tale, "Alice in Wonderland," and the nostalgia of childhood daydreams. It featured 50 runway looks that showcase ALEX S. YU's journey through a rose-tinted, East-meets-West cultural canvas that defines his design ethos.
ALEX S. YU - BIOGRAPHY
ALEX S. YU creates collections of garments that explore the fine line between reality and fantasy. His aesthetics rollick the happy emotions of childhood, nostalgia and wanderlust and ponder the very definition of femininity in a modern, quirky way through garments. The ALEX S. YU girl loves having fun and isn't afraid to try new things. They love colour, prints, quirky shapes, textures, and, most importantly, value comfort. They are eccentric, lively, and nonchalant, viewing life through rose-tinted glasses. ALEX S. YU creates a line of contemporary womenswear with a twist of avant-garde experimental attitude. He plays with proportions, colour blocking and unusual silhouettes while mixing and using different colours and fabric weights in one garment.
ALEX S. YU trained at the Blanche Macdonald Centre in Vancouver and furthered his education at the London College of Fashion in the United Kingdom. He launched his label at Vancouver Fashion Week in September 2014 after being named Emerging Designer of the Year by Niche Magazine. He was also named one of the top Canadian designers during the Canada 150 Celebration in Montreal. He has shown eleven collections at the Vancouver Fashion Week and was named the Nancy Mak Award Recipient in September 2016. He also presented his collections at London Fashion Week with Fashion Scout, Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo, Harbin Fashion Week, RE/SET Toronto Fashion Week, and PARK show Calgary. His works have been featured in various international presses such as Vogue UK, Vogue Italia, Glamour UK, Elle Canada, Elle Italia, i-D, Indie, V Magazine, Fuckingyoung, GQ, Aether Magazine, Zine Magazine, and many more. His works have also been featured in music videos such as 'Ghosts' by Charlie and 'BAE' by Bestie. ALEX S. YU has dressed various international celebrities such as Malia Baker, Sandra Oh, Jordan Claire Robbins, Mia Zhu and many more. His work has also been featured in an independent film, INDIGO, and shown at the Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals. His line is sold at his bi-annual pop-up shops and various stockists worldwide in cities such as New York, London, Vancouver, Taipei and Miami. ALEX S. YU is made with dreams and love. Biography notes are courtesy of Vancouver Fashion Week.
ALEX S. YU - A REVIEW
The evening celebrating Alex S. Yu's 10th anniversary started with a diverse array of seven local and international designers who were associated with and mentored by Alex S. Yu. I have been watching Yu's work develop since I first saw it in 2019. The influence of Alex S Yu's work could be seen in each of the designer's collections. The vibrant, youthful independence of Yu's aesthetic was evident in the garments his proteges showed. While all these designers have unique styles, they also have an element of Yu embued in their work, which is a tribute to Yu.
Prologue 3688
The clothes Alex S. Yu designs are youthful and joyful. However, in Yu's universe, two other terms—brave and powerful—are closely intertwined. Yu creates a whimsical world where eccentricity is Queen, and her Princess is fantasy. As designers age and gain experience, their work often evolves. Such is the case for Alex S. Yu, whose carefree, hopeful optimism was challenged by the first series of black garments. While frothy and buoyant, the ebony garments evoked a more sombre tone. This seemed harsh rather than the designer's core palette of bright colours. This may represent Alice falling down the rabbit hole and ending in Wonderland.
When Wonderland burst open on the runway, it was divided into sections by colour, starting with black, then white, and running through the spectrum. There were the signature tulle dresses we all love and lots of ruffled blouses. Variety was the word of the day. The designer held little back and explored shapes, textures, and patterns. Yu creates silhouettes that are nonconformist. A standout series of pieces was executed in a plaid, dotted with flowers. Skirts were puckered and ruched and were tied with hanging ribbons and bows. Another standout piece is a tiered tulle and chiffon dress in minty green and sky blue. Alex's distinctive colour combos, like baby pink and brilliant red, close the show with a bang.
Before the last walk, the video screens play a retrospective of Alex S. Yu's 10 years of delighting fans on the Vancouver Fashion Week runway. As the images flash on the screen, we become aware of this designer's expansive output and enormous talent. The audience was filled with devoted fans, family and the general public, and everyone cheered and celebrated the designers work.
A SELECTION OF RUNWAY PHOTOS
BY ARUN NEVADER
IN CONCLUSION
Cheers to the magic of anniversaries, darlings! An anniversary is a beautiful thing to celebrate. In this case, it is a great accomplishment. I congratulate Alex S. Yu on this milestone. Those who have chosen fashion as a career know it is difficult. For many, it isn't so much a choice as a passion. Finding a way to fulfill this passion is a creative and practical pursuit. For many, life overwhelms them, and they retire to other ventures. Some, like me, return to their first love and can once again fulfill their dreams. Please follow me as I follow my fashion dreams. So, buckle up and join me on this stylish journey.
CIAO FOR NOW J. ANDREW JACKSON