Upcoming: Alexandrea Yeo
Best known for her first-runner-up victory in Project Runway
"When I was 14 years old, a classmate told me, 'When you draw, you don't just draw, you design.'"
From this moment on, Alex gained an interest in fashion, and went on to study an advanced diploma course at Raffles Design Institute KL before acheiving a BA(Hons) in Fashion Design at the Raffles Design Institute Singapore in 2006.
Things seem to be working out just fine for the young talent, despite her rather down-to-earth comments on said recent rise-to-fame: "Project Runway Malaysia was a really good platform for me. It really gave me some publicity, and the main thing is that I gained an experience which I will never forget. I did things I thought I couldn't do, therefore I became more confident in myself, and dare to do and understand more about fashion. Basically it put me a step ahead from before. But life is just about the same... it's just had something beautiful added to it."
Alex has had a studio of her very own for two months now, where her customers go to see her. At the moment, she spends more of her time on custom-made evening wear and cocktail dresses, but is also working on ready-to-wear clothing for her labels - the 3rd sex and QUIN (taken from her Chinese name, Mei Quin). Alex makes doll clothing for ball-jointed dollies too, so if your Barbie is in need of a new wardrobe, you know what to do! Sales for all Alexandrea Yeo garments are also conducted online - visit Alex's blog for more information, as well as to see pictures of her recent projects.
As for Alex's design style: expect to see strong and androgynous, dark, fetish-motivated pieces, as the designer's creative influences consist of all things dark, weird and interesting. Those of you who caught her on Project Runway Malaysia will remember her final collection - "Manipulation of the Flesh" - inspired by piercing and tattooing, while her competition piece at MODA was provoked by the idea of multiple-personality disorders. When asked about her all-time idols when it comes to the fashion industry, Alex cites an enthusiastic "definitely Theirry Mugler!"
And what does the future hold in store for this up-and-coming designer? Her self-proclaimed top things to do before she turns 30 include turning her small studio into a well-known establishment, stepping foot into the Japanese fashion industry, and travelling to Egypt. Oh, and to buy an Audi-R8 she adds, before laughing it off sheepishly. I say it's okay Alex! You can hanker after all the cars you want, what with the talent that you've got.
Photo courtesy of Alexandrea Yeo
