the most anticipated show of this fashion week was alexander wang’s debut at balenciaga and he kept things simple. the show, which was styled by wang’s longtime friend vanessa traina, referenced not only some of the (nicolas) ghesquiere years, but also the cristóbal couture years, with his use of fur and sculptural silhouettes. the palette was a simple black and white, accessories were sharp, and other accoutrements were minimal. i really loved the marble texture which showed up on tops and burnout pants, as well as the cracked leather tops and jackets.
what i was most surprised with was his ability to design something more sophisticated and less “street,” which is something his detractors (including myself) was concerned with. one of the things that ghesquiere was able to do was balance the line between commercial and couture, and it will be interesting to see if wang sticks to one side or another. overall, a stellar debut that will undoubtedly have retailers (and buyers) lining up.
all pics from style.com
