Alexander Wang F/W 13.14 New York

[emailme.]

Scott: I agree Wang and some others are propped up and hyped up to such importance by the Powers That Be of the industry because of their business-buidling potentials-- not for their talent and vision It's all very serious manipulation to sell, sell sell. I just don't see Wang taking his designs in a serious statement-making direction as if he's the Second Coming of fashion. He's not waxing philosophical enlightenment, or wanting to progress fashion in any innovative manner. The bosses are pushing for and manufacturing Wang as the new, undisputed, frothy and mostest-popular Pop star of the fashion world that will sell, sell, sell. That's what the Anna Wintours and PPR Groups of the industry wants-- a celebrity designer who sells. And who can blame them... Their motives are so shamelessly transparent, but most business ventures usually are.

If you don't like Alexander's designs now, I don't think his lead at Balenciaga will change your mind. One thing's for sure: He can copy/rip off Nicholas's Balenciaga all he wants and no one can accuse him of doing it since he is Balenciaga now! I sense his work at Balenciaga will be much like Sarah's work at McQueen; just variations of Nicholas' Balenciaga over and over, but more accessible and trendy. I hope he will at least sharpen his tailoring skills and improve on construction now that the Balenciaga archive is his oyster.

I like Cathryn's description of Wang and his generation "photoshopping " various designers to create their Frankensteins. This generation of designers are nowhere being close to the likes of Rei, Ann, Yohji, Helmut, Martin, etc, that's for sure. I think it's just a reflection of the times we're living in; where rip-off artists are a plenty. So in that sense, they're not serious about breaking new fashion frontiers-- and maybe they don't want to. Oh well.

To be over critical of Alexander Wang (or anyone/thing really) is just as bad as the over praising he gets. You're points are valid, however they are too extreme. You have to give credit where credit is due: Alexander Wang has created a brand in lightspeed.

And that's not just the combination of luck, industry support, money, and sure the ability to reference/rip off. There's also talent in that mix. Not only in design but also in the business of fashion which is a sensibility young designers don't tend to have. Being a creative and a business person has allowed him to create products that sell and have fashion credibility. The ability to balance it all is what I admire about Wang.

As for Balenciaga, it's a done deal. Let's just see how it goes. Also, to the naysayers, can we remember that he has a whole house behind him to execute concepts...

 

[disco54]

Balenciaga had a true artist now they are going to get a house painter. There is NO COMPARISON between Nicolas Ghesquiere and Alexander Wang. Anna Wintour and her cronies may have got Wang the job, but I will be watching/viewing his show at Balenciaga with popcorn because I know its going to be a debacle.

 

[HelplessnessGray]

Can't wait to see his first Balenciaga collection.

 

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

To be over critical of Alexander Wang (or anyone/thing really) is just as bad as the over praising he gets. You're points are valid, however they are too extreme. You have to give credit where credit is due: Alexander Wang has created a brand in lightspeed.

And that's not just the combination of luck, industry support, money, and sure the ability to reference/rip off. There's also talent in that mix. Not only in design but also in the business of fashion which is a sensibility young designers don't tend to have. Being a creative and a business person has allowed him to create products that sell and have fashion credibility. The ability to balance it all is what I admire about Wang.

As for Balenciaga, it's a done deal. Let's just see how it goes. Also, to the naysayers, can we remember that he has a whole house behind him to execute concepts...

thank you for this, it's a little annoying when certain elitists take pride in just reminiscing over what fashion used to be instead of giving credit where credit may be due.