If you build it they will come, even if that means making the dreadful trek from Manhattan to Brooklyn during New York Fashion Week. Yet there was little grumbling where Alexander Wang’s Fall/Winter 2014 show at the Brooklyn Navy Yard was concerned. In fact, attendees who thrill at any hint of the “New” were delighted to find themselves on unfamiliar territory. If it had the Wang stamp of approval, they weren’t keen to question.
Naturally, for their efforts, Wang pulled no punches. He dished up a show heavy on futuristic footwear, dandy wool jumpsuits, double-breasted blazers, and multi-pocketed outerwear. The references were very masculine: fisherman sweaters, oversized silhouettes, Teddy Boy suiting. Even a hot-pink look possessed a manly aura with its aggressive lapels and stiff leather construction. Under an archway of gleaming silver ducts and across a stage that was outfitted with a rotating interior platform, androgynous models marched to a pulsing beat in graphic chevron-knit tunics, textured minis, and leather track pants. Included in this multi-faceted presentation were enormous toppers and leather skirts and tops that featured jagged hemlines. Wang’s best outerwear looks came later in the collection as he showcased laser-cut paisley-patterned coats and jackets in bright shades of turquoise, lemon, and purple. Clearly, spending time in Balenciaga’s archives has had an influence on Wang, because the radical textures and futuristic details were close kin to the type of space oddity looks Nicolas Ghesquière was known for. Wang, however, blends his forward-looking vision with street style elements and proves that his roots will forever be entrenched in the NYC scene.
Photos: Courtesy of GoRunway
