Alexander Wang (born December 26, 1983)[1] is an American fashion designer.[2][3] Wang launched his eponymous fashion brand in 2005 and came to prominence after being awarded the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2008. He is known for his urban-inspired designs and use of black.
Wang was born on December 26, 1983, to Taiwanese parents in San Francisco, California, including mother Ying Wang, where he was raised with his brother, Dennis, and sister, Theresa.[4][5][6][7]Despite speculation, Wang has noted that he does not speak Mandarin Chinese.[8]
In 2005, after two years at Parsons, Wang decided to pursue the launch of his own fashion label, which debuted with a predominantly knitwear collection. In Fall 2007, Wang presented a complete women's ready-to-wear collection on the New York catwalk for the first time, to critical acclaim. He won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2008, an honor accompanied by a $20,000 award to expand one's business.[12] That same year, he launched his first handbag collection.
After designing a Fall 2008 collection using black as the predominant color,[14] he designed his Spring 2009 collection using bright colors such as orange, dusty purple, aqua and hot pink.[15] Following this, he reverted to using mainly black fabrics.[16][17] Wang's first flagship store opened in SoHo, in lower Manhattan, on February 17, 2011.[18] Some have noted that the brand has helped to rejuvenate an otherwise dissolving area into fashion's Lower Manhattan epicenter.[19]
On November 30, 2012, Wang was named creative director at Balenciaga, after Nicolas Ghesquière's departure, to oversee the women's and men's ready-to-wear and accessories lines.[20] His debut Fall–Winter 2013 Balenciaga collection was shown in February 2013 at the Balenciaga salons in Paris at 10 avenue George V. He created a collection for the fashion retailer H&M[21] that launched in November 6, 2014. On July 31, 2015, he left Balenciaga.[22]
In 2016, Wang became the CEO and chairman of the Wang brand, succeeding his mother, Ying Wang, and sister-in-law, Aimee Wang.[23] Later that year, he was awarded $90 million in damages after successfully suing over 45 defendants operating 459 websites that sold counterfeit goods bearing the brand name, although the reward was mostly symbolic, as neither Wang nor the brand were likely to ever receive the amount.[24] Wang hosted a 2016 New York Fashion Week show.[25] In 2018, he launched a capsule collection with the condom brand Trojan with the tagline 'Protect your Wang'.[26]
After multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, Wang attempted a comeback in the West with his first show since 2019. The accusations have had little effect in China.[27]
Awards and recognition
Wang was the winner of the 2008 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. In 2009, he was recognized by his peers when he was announced as the winner of the Swarovski Womenswear Designer of the Year. Later that same year he was the recipient of the Swiss Textiles Award.[28] Wang was celebrated again in 2010 with another Swarovski Designer of the Year Award, this time in the Accessory category. In 2011, GQ US acknowledged Wang as the Best Menswear Designer of the Year. That same year he also won the CFDA's Best Accessory Designer award.
In October 2013, Wang was honored with the 'Fashion Star' awarded by Fashion Group International. The award was presented to Wang by Hamish Bowles, European Editor-at-Large of Vogue US. In 2017, Wang was named one of HypeBeast's HB100, their top 100 influencers in the industry.[29]
Sweatshop allegations
In February 2012, a lawsuit was filed against Wang, claiming that his company violated New York Statelabor laws, and that employees were mistreated.[30] The 31 plaintiffs sought $50 million for each of nine charges, a total of $450 million.[31] One of the workers, Wenyu Lu, claimed that he was "hospitalized for several days after he passed out at his work station because he was forced to work 25 hours straight without a break".[32] Lu claimed that the 200-square-foot (19m2) office on Broadway was windowless and poorly ventilated, and that workers were being forced to work 16 hours or more without overtime or breaks; Lu's lawyer, Ming Hai, claimed that Lu was eventually fired on February 16 due to complaints about working conditions and applying for workers' compensation.[33] A second worker, Flor Duante, also stated that she was fired after filing for workers' compensation, and that she had worked 90-hour weeks at Wang's factory.[31]
On August 14, 2012, WWD reported that the lawsuit had been dismissed, with a spokesman for Wang stating that "We are gratified that this matter has been dismissed, as the allegations were unfounded and completely false". However, it was reported that both parties had agreed to a settlement with undisclosed terms.[34]
Sexual assault allegations
Fashion industry whistleblower account Diet Prada and modeling industry watchdog account Shit Model Management published posts on Instagram on December 29, 2020, compiling accusations made on social media (TikTok, Twitter and Instagram) by people who said Wang sexually assaulted them.[35][36]
Social media scrutiny ensued when male model Owen Mooney came forward, describing a 2017 incident where he was groped by Wang in a packed New York City nightclub, which was later reposted by Shit Model Management, leading others to come forward with similar stories. The posts amplified previous allegations from others such as New York-based DJ Nick Ward, who publicly accused Wang of groping him in a nightclub in 2017.[35] Some claimed to have witnessed a victim being drugged by Wang, or being slipped ecstasy or other drugs themselves without their knowledge. There were also repeat allegations of victims, including several trans women, being groped or having their bodies or genitals exposed by Wang.[37][38][39]
On December 31, 2020, Wang's representatives released a statement to various media outlets, with the designer denying all accusations of sexual assault and that he intended to "hold accountable whoever is responsible for originating these claims and viciously spreading them online."[40][41] On January 1, 2021, The Guardian published other alleged accounts of sexual assault incidents from others, including transgender model and actor Gia Garison.[42] On January 4, 2021, Wang issued an updated statement thanking those who had stood by him, while also assuring that he would "remain honest and transparent" throughout the investigation into the claims.[43] The same day it was reported that Lisa Bloom would represent alleged victims of Wang.[44][45]
He spoke with his accusers in 2022 and published an apology on Instagram. Bloom tweeted, “We acknowledge Mr. Wang’s apology and we are moving forward.”[27]
Personal life
Wang is gay[46] and a supporter of the LGBTQ community.[47] In 2018, Wang partnered with Trojan to release a limited-edition "Protect Your Wang" capsule collection in support of the LGBTQ community and to celebrate Pride.[48]
He is well-known for his party-going persona, having thrown a number of memorable parties, such as one thrown at a gas station in 2009 to celebrate his Spring 2010 collection,[49] a party in 2019 to celebrate Wang's Bulgari x Alexander Wang collection,[50] and parties held for New York Fashion Week.[51]
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References
↑ "Alexander Wang". London, England: The Business of Fashion. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019.
↑ "Alexander Wang Says He Doesn't Speak Mandarin, Is 'Doing Something Quite Different' at Balenciaga". Fashionista. April 10, 2014. Wang also more or less dismissed rumors that his Chinese connections helped him get the job. A few outlets have reported that Wang speaks Mandarin and that his parents are somehow involved in garment manufacturing in China. Both of those reports are untrue, according to Wang, who tells Menkes he can barely order a bowl of rice in the language. "It's a false background," he said, "My family had no experience in garment production." Hopefully Balenciaga isn't surprised by this news (hey, we all lie on our resumés, right?).
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