Alexander Wang confirmed as new creative director of Balenciaga

[Castor]

What is wrong here is that fashion is stagnating and moves like this aren't helping.

Agree 100%. To hire a designer basically famous for being derivative to be the creative force of a large fashion house seems sad. However, it is completely in step with what PPR did with Gucci and more recently YSL. Clearly a total embrace of the commercial over the creative. This is all very reminiscent of the Barneys article.

[Shucks]

i just read that francois-henri pinault hinted in a cbs interview in december that wang would be an asset also in 'couture'.

how funny will that be - they kick out ghesquière who's got talent to boot and would be fantastic for couture (imho) - and put in a kid who likes spandex and ripping off other designers, and then give HIM a new haute couture atelier to play with?

on the other hand, maybe they need something like that to balance the damage to the brand resulting from the sub-par fashion that will be produced under the balenciaga name henceforth...

[surver]

another one bites the dust... yet another revered label succumbs to high street and the nouveau-riche...

[Scmick Schmowens]

just tried on the some of the spring/summer men's stuff. Nicely made. Some of it's a bit precious. Crazily inconsistent pricing? like jeans for 200€ and a button down short sleeve for 400€.

[BlacknWhite]

I'm sure him knowing how to design a bag that appeals to women had something to do with it (all those studs on his rocco). Brand recognition is obviously something he considers in products, like those studs, and clips.. At the end of the day, every brand is a business, whether you like to call it that or not, and you need to make something that sells. He's so young in his career, give him a chance.

[Ahimsa]

Alexander Wang's exit is official now:

http://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/alexander-wang-to-exit-balenciaga-says-report

Maybe they are going to hop onto this couture train with whomever they appoint now.