These Lips Might Sink Ships...: Alexander Wang

It's no secret that Alexander Wang is a pretty young thing's best friend. His sexy, rock and roll aesthetic is adored by the masses within the fashion industry and legions of ladies on the outside. His influence among women his age is undeniable and possibly the most powerful among his more youthful peers.

I once had a slight window of opportunity to meet the adorable young man while I was working at Nordstrom this summer. My friend working in Via C (home of Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone, Alice + Olivia) let me know he'd be in store, dressing his best customers within the company. I might have had a seizure right there if I wasn't working, but I stuck to ecstatic moans. I harassed my Via C buddies endlessly in an attempt to plan out my Alexander Wang moment. The event sounded a bit too exclusive to feasibly make it happen, but I was determined. Finally, the day came, and my co-worker Jaime—a fellow fashion enthusiast—and I were absolutely giddy. Again my friend from Via C ventured upstairs to pull a few things, and I barraged her with questions. "Follow me," she said and I looked over my shoulder for managers, and left the floor unannounced. He was in the Designer Collections dressing rooms and I tip-toed over only to see the store manager. My heart sank and I fled the 2nd floor as unobtrusively as I could. Being the only male in the junior's section of the store, my department manager discussed my position with the store manager before I was officially hired, so I am not exactly another anonymous employee. On my way up the escalator, I turned back only to see camera flashes lighting up the dressing rooms. I could have cried. An hour or so later, a cow-worker—not a fashion enthusiast, but a friend anyway—came back to the floor having had her picture taken with Wang. Jealousy does not even begin to describe the feeling pulsing through my person. The most unfortunate thing was her reaction, simply acknowledging that it was a cool experience and that she didn't really know who Wang was. I'm not sure if my heart has been replaced from the place which it was ripped via her words. We don't talk about it anymore.

Moving on from my rant, the heralded young designer continues to stir up emotion in me. The typical Wang trademarks including short bod-con dresses and endless black were deserted for a collection with a heavy focus on white oversized pieces. Distinct colors like seafoam and a bit of pumpkin also fit in an oddly seamless way. For the first time, it seems, the designer also experimented with print, which appeared in the form of understated doodles and abstract splatters. Construction—both the profession and the design technique—were inspirations for the designer and contributed to Wang's street cred without seeming contrived. Strips of metallic duct tape-looking fabric furthered the sense of construction. The girls were a tribe of rave-obsessed, blue collar goddesses, looking at first pure and then beautifully spoiled, only to be purified again. Both heavy Timberland-esque lace-up booties and more delicate appearing sandals (up close, these actually looked like shoes decorated electrical chords tied in knots) covered the feet of the models, both of which will no doubt be sources of continued Wang accessory obsessions. It's not a particularly easy collection to swallow, but I feel as though once thought over and understood (even slightly), it will be a showcase of a young design genius's work.

Britt