Overhead photo of Analeia Bella Madden in pink strapless dress sitting at her desk with a sewing machine in front of a large window

Alumni

Alumna Analeia Bella Madden To Show her DEBUT 2021 Collection at NYFW

Analeia Bella Madden grew up in Austin, Texas, and attended Westlake High School and Austin Community College before moving to Los Angeles to attend FIDM, where she graduated in 2021 with an Advanced Associate’s in Fashion Design. She premiered her playful and fanciful “Whimsy” collection at DEBUT 2021 and is now taking that collection to New York Fashion Week. She’ll be partnering with The Model Experience to show a revamped version of the line on September 11, 2022. We caught up with this talented and creative designer to learn more.

How did this opportunity come about? I applied as a designer to The Model Experience about showing for LAFW and they accepted me very quickly and with open arms! When I told them I wasn’t available for their LAFW dates, they asked me if I could do New York instead and I said yes.

What else have you been up to in the industry since graduation? I have made custom stage looks for singers Natasha Bedingfield and Molly Moore!

You mentioned you’ll be revamping your Whimsy collection for this show. Can you give us an idea of your plans? New fabrics, colors, textures? Something else entirely? I still have just enough fabric leftover from my Whimsy collection to use for a couple new/revamped looks! Luckily, with the pink shirting fabrics I can mix and match! This fashion show is very sudden and spontaneous (kind of my vibe) so I wish I could add more, but I am for sure revamping/making three looks. They will have the same fabrics from the collection but they have a new and improved perspective since I am definitely growing and changing as a designer!

How did FIDM help prepare you for your career? Oh my goodness!! In so many ways. The technicalities - teaching me sewing, pattern making, collection development. These skills are so transferable. Sewing and patternmaking has taught me to have more intention, how to be more precise, diligent, and meticulous. All of a sudden, I want to finish my projects with very high quality which is something I didn't used to be so serious about. And that makes me very happy and I feel like I have leveled up!!

What’s your biggest piece of advice to current FIDM students? STAY AUTHENTIC!!! Stay true to your own designs! Editing is important but be careful not to edit too much or you will lose your initial strokes/authentic flair. Trust yourself!!!

Anything else you’d like to share? When I hit a wall and don’t feel inspired, I remember back to what my good friend Dustin told me. “I know what you mean about feeling uninspired, I've definitely been there! You just need to go back to the roots and remember what the collection means to you.”