Alexander Wang

A Brief History of Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang was born in San Francisco, California, in 1983 to a Taiwanese-American family. He spent his early years attending summer programs at OTIS and Central Saint Martins, and at just 15 years of age, he presented his first designs at his brother’s wedding. Four years later, in 2002, Wang enrolled in Parsons School of Design in New York City. But after only two years, Wang left school to start his own label. His first line included a line of unisex cashmere sweaters. The success of this debut line caused the New York Times to take notice, and they praised his designs and thrust him into the spotlight of the fashion world.

The acclaim of Wang’s first collection was followed by another round with his Spring/Summer 2007 collection for women, which was characterized by its urban style that was both chic and down-to-earth; the clothing had mixed elements of grunge and rock-and-roll that were balanced with tones of French sophistication. Wang presented this ready-to-wear line, which included oversized jersey t-shirts and leather blazers, at New York Fashion Week. This first collection, along with Wang’s subsequent two collections, was designed in collaboration with model Erin Wasson. In 2008, Wang launched a line for Japanese retailer Uniqlo. Later that same year, Wang went on to release an accessories line that earned the young designer the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award.

In 2009, Wang launched his secondary collection, called “T by Alexander Wang,” to rave reviews that led Wang to win both the CFDA’s Swarovski Womenswear Designer of the Year Award and the Swiss Textiles Award. Two years later, Wang opened his first boutique in New York City. Later that same year, Wang also released his first menswear line. By 2012, Wang was named creative director at Balenciaga, a designation he would hold until July of 2015. Wang showed his first collection for the fashion house at Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013-2014.

?In 2014, Wang created a collection for the fashion retailer H&M; this collection was offered in H&M stores around the world and featured clothing and accessories for men and women. Wang’s collections continue to be featured in luxury department stores like Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Dover Street Market, Browns and Net-a-Porter. The barely 30-something designer is known for creating the signature “off-duty model” look that permeates all of his clothing collections. Alexander Wang handbags and accessories also reflect this same “grunge-sleek” sensibility.