Blog

Q&A with designer Alexa DiBiasio

Alexa DiBiasio
2013, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, The Art Institute of Houston

"The instructors at The Art Institute of Houston helped me to be the designer I always wanted to be, but never knew I could [be]."

Alexa DiBiasio's experience in the fashion industry includes working with two of Houston's most influential designers—David Peck and "Project Runway" Season 2 Winner Chloe Dao. Alexa, who has a passion for womenswear, freelances as both a fashion illustrator and patternmaker while working full-time at francesca's in Houston. When she's not designing, she has her hands joyfully full with her young son.

The Art Institutes: What's your vision with this collection?

Alexa: Every woman deserves to be not only beautiful, but interestingly beautiful. She deserves to own a piece that reflects her unique beauty and shows [that] she can create a conversation by letting her style speak for itself. [I created this vision through] an all-black collection brought to life through juxtapositions of hard and soft, textures, and ideas—where flowing chiffon meets the structured lines of leather and elegant silhouettes are sharpened with military touches. This is Fierce meets Feminine. This is the harmony of my collection—finding a balance between hard versus soft.

The Art Institutes: Describe your design process for this collection.

Alexa: For me, it all starts with a feeling—a feeling to be portrayed through the design process. When designing a collection, I keep these questions at the forefront of my mind: How do I make a piece come alive and emote my vision? How do I create a piece that shows how a woman feels and how she wants to be portrayed when she walks in a room?

I constantly create lists to get my vision out. These lists contain only broken ideas full of adjectives and unfinished thoughts and phrases. These incomplete ideas allow [my] creativity to continue to flow [because] they still possess the ability to transform into something bigger and more beautiful.

The Art Institutes: How did your education prepare you for this opportunity?

Alexa: I always felt I was a creative being, I just didn't know how to bring it out—until I began my education studying fashion design. The instructors at The Art Institute of Houston helped me to be the designer I always wanted to be, but never knew I could [be]. They pushed me and inspired me to bring out the creativity I was holding inside. They not only taught me, but showed me the steps needed to become a successful designer. The education and opportunities I received at The Art Institute of Houston taught me to really work for what I want. My education has taught me that creativity never clocks out because inspiration could be waiting for you around the next corner.

The Art Institutes: Which designers inspire you?

Alexa: Alexander McQueen inspires me every day. The [innovation] and extravagance portrayed by his pieces are truly the essence behind the creativity of fashion design.

The Art Institutes: What design blogs or publications do you use as inspiration and reference?

Alexa: For inspiration and reference, I use StyleSight.com. The detail and examples [the site provides] for forecasting and trends never ceases to inspire me.

The Art Institutes: How are you preparing for the runway event? What challenges are you facing?

Alexa: I am continually pushing myself to stay up that extra hour, cut out just one more piece, [and] bring the best possible work I can bring to New York Fashion Week. A specific challenge I have been faced with is not having enough hours in the day! Finding a compromise between time and intricate designs has been challenging. This opportunity has helped me to better my time management skills, prioritize, and work more efficiently towards my goal.

Stream the show live at 8PM on Tuesday, February 17. Find out how—and get the date on your calendar!