last night, the CFDA Awards nominees were named, and it's hard not to notice that Alexander Wang popped up in several categories... nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year, Accessories Designer of the Year, and the Swarovski Award for Menswear. whoa! we haven't seen that kind of category domination since Marc Jacobs...who will be honored at this years ceremony with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.
where Alex Wang, the new prince of darkness, has gone right is in the same vein as the most recent Chanel collection...he gets what women want. he knows his target audience (downtown gals and off-duty models and girls who want to be off-duty models), knows what we love(easy, chic, edgy, can go day to night), and doesn't stray. even his T by Alexander Wang line is spot on for the everyday t-shirts, leggings, and slouchy pants. i fully admit to absolutely living in all of my AW and TbyAW pieces, and i'm never embarrassed to wear them twice in one week, either! they're classic, chic, well cut, and well made...and i'm never embarrassed to wear that.
his new store in SoHo is amazing...and the perfect next step for the brand, which is now growing by leaps and bounds. Alex, who seems like one of the most humble and down to earth designers, is already at rockstar status, and on his way to becoming a major fashion powerhouse...
let's take a look at the Alexander Wang evolution...
fall 2007. the earliest stages of Alex Wang. tailored, edgy, dabbling in animal prints, feminine with snaps of menswear.
spring 2008. i feel like this is where T by AW kind of wove it's way into the namesake line before breaking off. casual, cool, easy silhouettes. classic AW.
Resort 2009. his first resort collection, and this is where i see the AW we know and love today starting to come into his own and stretch his creativity. the black dress is beautiful.
Spring 2010. knits, menswear, athletic wear, and leopard print. this is when everyone else (other than the fashion set) starting craning their necks and noticing this young, vibrant kid who dances down the runways for his final bow. for me, this was the collection that shot him to the moon.
Fall 2010. the prince of darkness has arrived. a collection of equal parts goth, chic, goddess, and wall street, Wang played with pinstripes, new silhouettes, and lots of velvet here. and EVERYONE starting taking notice of his shoes and bags. from New York to California and every state in between..he became the last word in cool.
Spring 2011. a white out! i didn't love this collection on the runway but now that i'm seeing it out and about and being styled in various ways, i'm loving it.
bergdorfs did a great job styling this collection...it's worth checking out! and by the time this collection hit the runway, Wang had already achieved rockstar status. his front row was better than 90% of the shows at NYFW.
Fall 2011. glittery pants, furry shoes and sunglasses, sheer, velvet, more fur, satin...omg. this is his best collection yet. it's so cool to see how he's evolved and how the Alexander Wang women has become more sophisticated without losing her edge. the ivory satin top with shredded tails paired with the black skinny trousers honestly reminds of me Tom Ford in his Gucci days. different customer, obviously, but insanely chic nonetheless. (p.s. i already bought the sheer tunic in the last picture on Moda Operandi...can't wait!).
i'd be truly shocked if Wang doesn't clean up at the CFDA Awards and take home all the awards for which he's been named. he has all the makings of a true fashion superstar... his clothes are well cut and well made, he keeps true to his asethetic yet evolves along with his customer, and ..most importantly..women love his clothes and love to wear them!
Good luck, Alex! we're rooting for you!
