 |
| In: Alexander Wang |
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| Out: Nicholas Ghesquiere |
Alexander Wang
takes control at Balenciaga.
Wow.
I did not see that one coming.
But why not?
Here’s
a guy who in the space of five years has developed one of the standout labels
of the new millennium. Alexander Wang specialises in the sporty, slightly edgy,
but oh-so-commercial fashion that could be said to truly reflect the
Zeitgeist.; a perfect balance between sophistication and devil-may-care insouciance,
tidy but relaxed, tailored but louche. Wang could be seen as one of a group of
pioneering designers who have caught the urbane lifestyles of 20’s and
30-somethings and marketed it straight back at them, but at a premium. That cool,
effortless chic of slightly grungy, rather sporty separates has garnered Wang
fans beyond the New York City that most obviously inspires him, and with an
increasingly expansive out view, Wang has grown an extremely successful
business model, one astutely focussed on the massive potential of Asian markets
in future years.
It would
seem Alexander Wang is the Future and the Future is now.
The days of
Eurocentric design have been on the slide for a century. While the heart of
fashion may always reside in traditional centres such as Paris and Milan, it
seems the their will again need to be a restructuring of hierarchies in the
ways even Heritage brands such as Dior and Balenciaga operate- especially as so
many are owned under umbrella corporations. What is the point of having a
stable of design houses all targeting the same market? It seems from now on corporations such as PPR
and LVMH will look to increasingly stratify their brands to focus on different
market segments. Through the choice of Wang to helm Balenciaga, it would seem the
decision has been made for maximum commercialisation. High ideas about the
status of Couture and craft, the importance of directional and progressive
design, look set to be swept to the side as companies seek to further maximise
profits. It was widely recognised I think that Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière was one of the most progressive labels on the fashion
parade, with Ghesquière lauded as one of the most visionary designers of his
generation. This of course does not mean profitability, with speculation that
Balenciaga was not profitable enough to it’s owners. Under Alexander Wang, this
could be set to change.
Can Wang storm the palace of French Couture? He
certainly has supporters, most obviously in America where he resides. But what
are the expectations on designers today who are asked to rejuvenate established
heritage brands? how does one value critical acclaim when compared to the
bottom line. It seems even the best such as Ghesquière were not immune to that
critique, so whether Wang can do as Marc Jacobs has done, and what Tom Ford had
achieved is yet to be seen.
There is no doubting Wang’s popular appeal in
the U.S., but we will wait to see how he manages when assessed in comparison to
Lagerfeld, Philo, Tisci, Prada, et al…..
