Alexander Wang

Born: San Francisco, U.S., 1983

Born and raised in San Francisco, Alexander Wang moved to New York at the age of 18 to attend Parsons School of Design. While studying, Wang had various internships including at Teen Vogue. By his final year, Wang was already designing the first collection of his label, Alexander Wang. In 2005 the collection was predominantly knits but in 2007, Wang launched a full women’s collection selling to over 200 stores.

The next few years saw Wang recognized for his talent within the industry. In 2008 Wang received the Vogue/Council of Fashion Designers of America fund. The following year he was announced as the winner of the Swarovski Womenswear Designer of the Year. 2009 also saw Wang as the recipient of the Swiss Textiles Award.

A diffusion line, T by Alexander Wang, was launched in 2009 offering Tees, tanks and T-Shirt dresses in pre-weathered cottons.

Wang won the Swarovski Designer of the Year Award again in 2010, this time for his accessories. In 2011 GQ named him Best Designer of the Year and the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded him Best Accessory Designer.

Alexander Wang collaborated with jewellery designer Betony Vernon in March 2011. Together they designed Second Skin cuffs featuring perforated details all over them. The cuffs added a sporty edge for his autumn/winter 2011 ready-to-wear collection.

The designer was on mass display during September 2011 in both London and New York Fashion Week. London boutique Joseph dedicated their shop window to the Alexander Wang collection and Wang teamed up with Barneys to create a video installation at 7^th Avenue and Greenwich Avenue. The video was projected onto a billboard nightly for the entire fashion week.

Alexander Wang is known for his casually cool style. An air of French chic is mixed with youthful grunge. His designs have a masculine edge and in either monotone or bold colour, Wang’s designs always show his excellent tailoring skills.

In 2013 Wang was named creative director for Balenciaga. In an interview he confessed that he rejected the job the first time Balenciaga offered him the job. The company responded by offering him a visit the legendary couturier’s archive. In the end, it was that visit to the archive that convinced him to take the vacancy that Nicolas Ghesquière’s departure left open.

In 2014, Wang was appointed as the creative director of the iconic fashion house Balenciaga, where he injected his modern sensibilities while respecting the brand’s heritage.

In 2015, he parted ways with Balenciaga to focus on his eponymous label, reinvigorating it with renewed energy and creativity. Wang’s brand continued to evolve, embracing innovative marketing strategies such as pop-up shops and runway shows held in unconventional locations.

In 2018, the designer celebrated the brand’s 10th anniversary with a special collection that paid tribute to his iconic pieces from the past decade.

In 2019, Wang expanded his offerings to include lifestyle products, unveiling a line of sleek and minimalist homeware. Alexander Wang’s brand remains synonymous with urban luxury, effortlessly combining streetwear and high fashion to create a distinct and influential style that continues to inspire and captivate fashion lovers across the globe.

Alexander Wang biography