It’s official! In a somewhat controversial decision, Alexander Wang has been named as the new Creative Director of revived fashion house Balenciaga. The New York based designer has big shoes to fill replacing Nicholas Ghesquiere, the man credited with reviving the historic fashion house. With designer Christopher Kane rumoured to take over the role, the luxury French fashion house has decide to put their faith in a designer who has championed the sportswear approach to design.
READ ABOUT NICHOLAS GHESQUIERE’S TIME AT BALENCIAGA HERE
After graduating from the prestigious New York’s Parson School of Design in 2005, Wang started his own label after finishing up an internship at Teen Vogue. His mainline label and difusion line, T by Alexander Wang has quickly become a favourite of fashionistas around the world. His beautiful leather bags were seen on the arm of trendsetters, with the trademark studs on the base of his Rocco bags setting his designs apart from the rest of the fashion pack.
While Ghesquiere has done an amazing job bringing the classic label into modern times (his recent sold-out sci-fi inspired motifs adorning neoprene tops and dresses proving to be an unlikely fashion week hit), it remains to be seen how Wang’s street style and almost goth aesthetic, will influence the brand. Balenciaga’s decision to go with Wang suggests the house maybe moving towards gearing the brand at a more hipper audience. This also seems to be the thought behind having the perennially scowling Kristen Stewart front their perfume Florabotanica.
Amassing 12 stores in 7 countries, a retail presence in many of the worlds top luxury stores, not to mention all by the age of 30, Wang has more than enough experience and design nouse to continue to keep the brand relevant and at the forefront of fashion.
The pressure is now on for Wang to keep his namesake label developing, while growing Balenciaga, a company that has multiplied in size by 11 times since it was acquired by the Gucci Group in 2001.
One thing’s for sure, if anyone can continue on Ghesquiere’s success, it’s Alexander Wang.
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