Alexander Wang leaving Balenciaga

[ad041715]

I love Alexander Wang as a designer. But I think my expectations for Balenciaga are way too high and I don't think he will satisfy them all.

This.
Wang isn't a bad designer by all means but Balenciaga? Really? I just don't think he's fit for Balenciaga. Period. It takes true vision and artistic craft to match Nicolas' work for the house.

Let's hope Wang makes us eat our words come F/W 2013 (or not )

 

[kimair]

I love Alexander Wang as a designer. But I think my expectations for Balenciaga are way too high and I don't think he will satisfy them all.

THIS.

cristobal balenciaga was a couturier and alexander wang designs sportswear...
there is a level of detail and craftsmanship that people (including myself) have come to expect from balenciaga that isn't there with wang...
yes, balenciaga sells a ton of bags and shoes, but there was also the edition line, and pieces done for the red carpet...

i do wonder if he struck a similar deal as marc jacobs with lvmh...
did ppr invest in wang's own line?

 

[happytrail]

Why are we caring about models when there is a tragedy happening ?

Truly heartbroken.

I hope Ghesquière starts his own label or gets offered a new job immediately. I am already suffering from the recent losses starting in 2004.

no, a tragedy would be if nicolas ghesquiere got hit by a bus.

i'm sad about his departure/replacement as well, but it's not the end of the world, so calm down

 

[Morphe]

So they basically wanted someone (seemingly) like Ghesquiere, but a lot cheaper? Makes sense. Well, I am underwhelmed.

 

[Littleathquakes]

So they basically wanted someone (seemingly) like Ghesquiere, but a lot cheaper? Makes sense. Well, I am underwhelmed.

I don't think they got that with Alex...

 

[Morphe]

Which is why I said "seemingly". From our POV, he's a Ghesquiere copycat.

 

[educo]

Balenciaga is kicking and screaming through his coffin right now.

 

[Heroin_Chic]

Great news! I`m sure Wang will do a good job!

 

[Scott]

get prepared for sweats and t's under balenciaga

i understand they're going to try a different strategy with balenciaga....salable......but commercial or not,i have not seen anything remotely worthy from wang to warrant designing a house of this magnitude.

 

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

I never thought Alexander Wang's aesthetic was Balenciaga but more riding on inspirations from 90s american sportswear. I don't think I am disappointed, but more curious to see what his first collection will look like.

It's funny because people on twitter are complaining about Balenciaga's brand becoming more accessible but I don't understand why people think his marketing at Wang will carry over. I've also never seen anything that screamed Balenciaga from Wang unlike pieces from Proenza

 

[julien520]

anna wintour never get tried of this i would be totally handed up the day when she disappear

 

[helmut.newton]

Alexander Wang, he could be really good at Balenciaga once he learns the nuances of couture techniques, etc, but at the moment, I predict his first few years will be terrible and hard on Balenciaga as a house. How will they keep the prestige and exclusivity of the name?

As an admirer of fashion as art, I will truly miss Ghesquiere. No one could work a silhouette like he did! No one experimented with shape, with cut, with architecture, and with artisan techniques like Ghesquiere did at Balenciaga. He is supremely talented and with his departure, comes the realisation that the concept of fashion as art, is slowly crumbling away.

 

[educo]

Anna Wintour must get kickbacks for this. She does this too many times!

 

[g212142]

cristobal balenciaga was a couturier and alexander wang designs sportswear...

That's one of the reasons I can't see him at Balenciaga at all

 

[donyan]

Ok..PPR spent the last ten years building up an incredibly prestigious brand, arguably the most respected from a creative point of view.

Regardless of what they say, it can't have translated into sales, at least not the kind of sales they expected, ( otherwise, why change a formula that works?)

Neither Alexander McQueen nor YSL have sold that many clothes in the last few years if the rumours are believed, so now their strategy must be to capitalize on the amazing name of Balenciage with a product that is sure to sell and a Designer who will be hugely popular with the ever-so important Chinese market. It's actually just simple math and therefore not even as scandalous as it sounds. More than anything it's sad because it shows how fashion now works- it's about demographics, power, and product first and foremost. I suppose we just have to deal with it. The only power I personally have in all this is to vote with my wallet.

 

[loladonna]

Will Wang design the upcoming Fall 2013 collection or is there not enough time?

 

[Morphe]

Ok..PPR spent the last ten years building up an incredibly prestigious brand, arguably the most respected from a creative point of view.

Regardless of what they say, it can't have translated into sales, at least not the kind of sales they expected, ( otherwise, why change a formula that works?)

That's what I've thought too.

Neither Alexander McQueen nor YSL have sold that many clothes in the last few years if the rumours are believed, so now their strategy must be to capitalize on the amazing name of Balenciage with a product that is sure to sell and a Designer who will be hugely popular with the ever-so important Chinese market. It's actually just simple math and therefore not even as scandalous as it sounds. More than anything it's sad because it shows how fashion now works- it's about demographics, power, and product first and foremost. I suppose we just have to deal with it. The only power I personally have in all this is to vote with my wallet.

I completely second this.

 

[hillben_ho]

one of the biggest news of the year, as well as one of the most damaging tragedies.

 

[deflyricist2006]

I feel very odd with this decision. Alexander Wang will grow exhausted with this. With him producing 12 collections per year will make him crazy. I wish that someone like Lacroix would have taken reigns there.

 

[LagerfeldBoy]

Alexander Wang, he could be really good at Balenciaga once he learns the nuances of couture techniques, etc, but at the moment, I predict his first few years will be terrible and hard on Balenciaga as a house. How will they keep the prestige and exclusivity of the name?

As an admirer of fashion as art, I will truly miss Ghesquiere. No one could work a silhouette like he did! No one experimented with shape, with cut, with architecture, and with artisan techniques like Ghesquiere did at Balenciaga. He is supremely talented and with his departure, comes the realisation that the concept of fashion as art, is slowly crumbling away.

YES!
Sigh, I can already foresee a more casual aesthetic at Balenciaga. There's no doubt that Wang is talented, but he's definitely not the perfect candidate for the label. I was hoping those Christopher Kane rumors were true. At least with Kane, he experimented season after season like Nicolas and is absolutely talented. He would've been the ideal candidate for the job.