Alexander Wang is officially leaving Balenciaga

It was previously a rumour; now it’s official. Alexander Wang won’t have his contract as Balenciaga creative director renewed for the next season. His last collection with the Kering Group’s fashion house will be spring/summer 2016; after that the young designer, who became creative director of the brand in 2012 to replace Nicholas Ghesquiere when he went to Louis Vuitton, will go back focusing all his energies only on his namesake brand, which is just about to gain its first outside investor.

It looks like the historical French house and the designer reached the decision with no sore feelings at all, both being grateful to each other for what they have been able to achieve together in this three-year collaboration.

“It’s been an incredible experience to work with a couture house in Paris,” stated Wang. “I am honoured to have had the opportunity to work for this historical maison. I would like to thank the brilliant team at Balenciaga for their collaboration and for what we have accomplished together, and I am looking forward to taking my own brand to its next level of growth.” On the other hand, Isabelle Guichot, the brand’s president and CEO, wrote: “We are all at Balenciaga extremely grateful to Alexander for his important contribution to the style and history of this iconic house. The dynamic growth of the brand over the last years bears testimony to his successful creative work”.

The name of the new Balenciaga creative director is yet to be released, however Kering has stated that the announcement will be made in due course.

Francesca Milano