ALEXANDER KING CHEN
"When Fashion Becomes Fantasy"
The second night of Vancouver Fashion Week S/S 2026 began not with a mere runway show, but with a spectacle of imagination. Too often, fashion shows give us what we expect: parades of various lovely clothes with different themes and styles that charm and please. But sometimes art takes the main stage. When Avant Garde enters the runway, convention quickly dissolves. Enter the acclaimed designer Alexander King Chen, the celebrated Taiwanese designer, who brought his fantastical creations to the VFW catwalk, leaving the audience spellbound and delighted— a symphony of structure, movement, and unabashed beauty.
ALEXANDER KING CHEN - A BIOGRAPHY
Alexander King Chen is a designer and storyteller whose work exists at the intersection of fashion, film, and art. His collections unfold like narratives — poetic, emotional, and charged with meaning — exploring themes of compassion, loss, and beauty.
A creative force across Asia, Chen has collaborated with prominent names such as ASUS, Estée Lauder, and Mercedes-Benz, and dressed many of the region's most celebrated stars. Chen's films have been shown at International fashion film festivals and have received many awards and accolades. Yet behind the glamour lies a profoundly personal journey. Following the loss of someone dear, Chen redirected his artistry toward purpose — using fashion and film as instruments of healing and humanity.
Renowned for his theatrical runway presentations and cinematic approach, Chen's vision dissolves the boundaries between East and West and between couture and performance. His shows don't simply display garments; they tell stories that linger — stirring both heart and imagination. I recommend visiting the following links to understand this artist's work better.
ALEXANDER KING CHEN - THE RUNWAY
Alexander King Chen brought his collection titled " Are You in Heaven" to the runway of VFW to great acclaim. The hushed audience was enthralled by the moving works of art that glided down the runway. Chen describes "Are You in Heaven" the following way: " It’s a very personal collection. Everything we do now has a purpose, a reason, and a message, either for myself or for the greater good. Are You In Heaven speaks my heart and is my inner battle between GOOD VS EVIL."
The designer respects traditional aesthetics of good and evil, with evil represented in black and good in white. The fantastical creations that Chen showed are complex visions that combine both fashion and art. Chen shared, "Of course, when I say evil, I don’t mean war and such. But just a few human behaviours. So this collection is about how, as a human, I try to channel certain thoughts and things, so I become a better person".
EVIL
The first section is the Evil black garments, six pieces that are created by the designer and his team by draping fabric on dress forms. Alexander says, "The construction process is like a puzzle. It's intense and tedious. Everything is made on the mannequin. So it only fits one size. Although it's a labourious process, I love it, and I think it makes our collections much more three-dimensional." To describe the garments that are much more costumes than clothes is an epic task. The costumes are massive with tendril-like pieces of fabric extending from the body; they have an organic feeling with the curves and twists of a plant or other biological forms. There appear to be references to costume history, with the second garment reminiscent of an Edwardian gown, with a hat recalling the best works of Phillip Tracey. At the core of each garment is a gown that could be easily adapted into a couture look for a red carpet event. Often, runway creations that are so extravagant are reinterpreted as wearable designs.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK.
GOOD
Six white garments represent Good. Alexander King Chen said, "The VFW collection is a capsule collection from a much larger presentation I showed during NYFW with Asian NYFW. With that NY show, it was part musical, part theatre, part fashion show". The momentous size of the costumes certainly is theatrical, and the volume, textures and silhouettes bring an operatic scale to the show.
Alexander King Chen takes the audience from the David Lam runway and transports them to a fantastical world. A parade of elegant and outrageous concoctions casts a spell that is magnetically enthralling. The cinematic and theatrical scope is exactly what Chen intends. In Alexander King Chen's world, the line between drama and dream is blurred, making us not just observers but participants in his magical kingdom.
IN CONCLUSION
Those of you who follow me know that I started my career as a theatre designer. The magic of the theatre is not far from my heart. Therefore, I was particularly moved by Alexander King Chen's presentation, which brought the grandeur of theatrical costuming to the runway. Alexander King Chen has shifted from producing a ready-to-wear line to creating his own films, music and costumes. I can certainly say that I look forward to his future endeavours.
AT VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK
CIAO FOR NOW, J.ANDREW JACKSON
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