Balenciaga
Designer: Alexander Wang

• “Dominated by sleek, elegant looks in black and white.” [AFP]
• “An auspicious start. Wang stayed true to the heritage of the house, and even to his predecessor Nicolas Ghesquiere’s contribution of using high-tech, cutting-edge materials. Wang also succeeded at creating clothes that not only beg to be looked at and revered, but also to be worn.” [All The Rage/Los Angeles Times]
• “Where he pushed the boundaries the most was with the fabrics–focusing on highlighting patterns through texture.” [The Daily Beast]
• “This was a strong, elegant and feminine debut collection which gives us hope of even greater things to come from Alex.” [ELLEuk.com]
• “It was clean, it was exact, it didn’t rock the boat (or the brand). It was, as the French say, pas mal.” [FT.com]
• “With the weight of the fashion world on his shoulders, Alexander Wang served up a polished debut show.” [Grazia Daily]
• “The debut was imbued with cool precision.” [The Guardian]
• “It was a very beautiful collection. The fabric development was incredible and the cutting too. You could see the workmanship and the know how in every garment.” [i-D Online]
• “Alexander Wang’s first outing at Balenciaga on Thursday was a fine effort. In fact, it looked effortless, as though the designer, at only 29 years old, had reached the essence of what the famous couturier stood for: sculpted elegance.” [International Herald Tribune]
• “Alexander Wang showed on Thursday that he could design for a major house. His debut for Balenciaga was smart and graceful, and the streamlined clothes advanced the codes in a modern way.” [The New York Times]
• “In one fell swoop Wang transformed the Balenciaga brand. He brought it forward without forgetting where it came from.” [NOWFASHION]
• “The 29 year old designer, who made his name with the upscale streetwear of his signature label, was in no way cowed by the man who founded the house. He transformed the fresh sporty style he knows so well into something sleek and pure, and decidedly luxe for Balenciaga.” [NOWFASHION]
• “Wang fused technology and technique to come up with compelling new textiles.” [Style.com]
• “Wang managed to play with some signature house ideas, married to the austere, sculptural quality for which Cristóbal Balenciaga was celebrated in the late fifties and sixties–while never making the clothes look retro.” [Vogue.com]
• “He made a really impressive start, the energy in the lead up to the show feeling slightly worrying, but then soon set straight as the music took hold and he presented a very grown-up collection.” [Vogue.com UK]
• “Inspired by marble statuary, Alexander Wang used crinkled, marble-like fabrics for his sharp debut at Balenciaga.” [Wmagazine.com]
• “Perhaps most surprising, and happily so, this collection didn’t hit you in the face with the overt commercial mandate that many have assumed was behind Wang’s appointment; rather it felt smart, accomplished and well designed.” [WWD]