Alexander Wang: Balenciaga Is a 'Completely Different World'

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Alexander Wang sat down with WWD exec Bridget Foley to discuss his new-ish role as head designer of Balenciaga, the state of his eponymous label, and the "secret" event this summer that had Alex Wang fans clawing clothes and each other.

Firstly, Wang noted that balancing the two brands, or rather keeping them separate during the creative process, isn't too difficult. He explained that while Alexander Wang the brand is "a completely personal project," Balenciaga has "a heritage, there's a DNA and a framework that is always in my mind whenever I'm working—during fittings, through meetings and through store discussions. So there are two completely different worlds, and I think it really helps that they're in two different cities. It really sets the tone to tell two different stories."

Exhibit A: It's hard to imagine that the stunt he pulled in New York this past July would ever happen at a luxury fashion house, let alone in Paris. For the uninitiated, the Wang team rented out two studios in the Meatpacking District, filled them with clothes, and let loose rabid fans upon the contents. The video (which can be found here) was frightening. Apparently that's what he was going for. He told WWD, "We filmed [the mayhem] and made a fun little video out of it. It was actually also inspiring because Darren Stein was the director of 'Jawbreaker.' There was a scene at the end of the movie with the prom and Rose McGowan, and I was really inspired by that scene, so I said, 'Let's base it on that.'"
· WWD CEO Summit: Q&A With Alexander Wang [WWD]
· Mesmerizing, Scary Video From the Alexander Wang Giveaway [Racked]
· Alexander Wang Signals the Return of the Logo [Racked]