En Pointe of Fashion

With a BFA in Dance and arts Management under her belt, Alysia Chang will once again

walk the stage for her Fashion Design MFA as her mix of passions walks the runway for the Spring 2024 capsule collection.

Boards of her imaginations and racks of her in-progress creations within the AAU workshop show that dance stems from her core. Dance stems from her core; she cannot explain where it came from or how their love story began. "It started at a young age before I could really form solid thoughts around why. You know when you love something really deeply?" She begins to tear up and acknowledges that she is an emotional artist. "Gosh, that's ridiculous. I can't even talk about it. I think the second I saw dance, I felt myself dancing; it just felt right." Her unique background correlates with the self-choreographed duet during the show. Chang describes it as a contemporary ballet, where a male and female model present intimacy's push and pull. With the use of her far-along pregnant model, the capsule also ensues in rebirth and evolution. She highlights the habits of love, paired with "the struggle when you love anything too deeply." Owing to her history and experience, it seemed crucial for the collection to allow freedom in the fit and material.

Chang knows what works for the body in strong movement, so sourcing stretch crepes, wools, polyester, silk chiffons, padding, and stuffing was necessary. She wanted to show an average dancer's life stages from dusk until dawn. She considers her collection ready-to-wear, runway, and for performance. "It's a narrative on the day or life of a dancer and the aspects of life that you enter in such a short period. Whether you're in your messy warm-up clothes, your

beautiful costume, or you have this giant coat on because you're running across town, and you don't want to get cold before rehearsal."

Chang's career signature focuses on the form and shape of the human body. Dance and design aside, Chang's passion is to emphasize what she finds beautiful and allow others to taste that beauty. She values a deeper dive into all things art, and would aspire to become part of a collective celebrating all aspects of art: theater, music, food, opera, film, etcetera. She hopes to land at a brand where her specific eye is appreciated, whether it is in the realms of ready-to-wear or luxury. Nevertheless, Chang refuses to limit her options for the future, and in the near future, she hopes her viewers will stand by for the prospective short film featuring her final capsule at the academy.