Alexander Wang
Change is in the air at Alexander Wang this season. The American designer now shows his collections twice a year, shifting them to June and December. The line shown in New York last summer was even called Collection 1, a sign that Wang really has gone back to the drawing board. Taking inspiration from the experiences his parents had as newly-arrived immigrants in New York in 1972, he came up with a true origins story. The collection comes with a style change too, as following on from February’s “working girl” show at the World Trade Centre, Wang makes a return to his rock and roll roots. The look is retro eighties West Coast with bandanas and studded belts. Alexander Wang 2.0 is all about denim, leather and logos with a heavy dose of the Star-Spangled Banner and Asian-inspired symbols. The 1.0 version can still be felt, but the shift this season has definitely got our attention. The narrative is thought-provoking, brand new and gives us a new perspective on his design.
In 2004, Alexander Wang founded his eponymous brand. At that time, the designer had dropped out of school and thought of launching a mesh line, composed of six unisex designs. A challenge that paid off, as three years later, he presented his sportswear-inspired creations for the first time during New York Fashion Week. The brand that was supported by Anna Wintour soon became one of the most followed in the industry. A both urban and dark, sexy but never fancy aesthetic that is ideal for unconventional rebels.
Alexander Wang, who was born in San Francisco, lived his dream in New York in 2002 when he joined the prestigious Parsons School of Design. Two years later, he quit to launch his eponymous label. Several of his family members, including his mother, his brother and his sister-in-law, supported him. Three years after its launch, the brand made its debuts during New York Fashion Week. The following year, Alexander Wang received the Vogue / CFDA Fashion Fund, which allowed him to expand his business. A successful move, since in 2009, the designer was awarded the Swarovski Designer of the Year Award, before winning a second CFDA Award in 2011 for Accessory Designer of the Year. The fashion designer is renowned for his eponymous brand but he has also worked for another famous House: Balenciaga. In 2012, the designer succeeded Nicolas Ghesquière for three years, before being replaced by Demna Gvasalia in 2015.
