Alexander Wang presented his latest collection in New York City on Wednesday, June 5.
The event, which Wang dubbed a “no season” preview, per WWD, brought out a number of big names including Kim Cattrall, Ice Spice, Method Man and Tinashe. The stars sat front row as models like Paris Jackson and Dennis Rodman danced down an unconventional runway rocking distressed leather pieces and spiky accessories.
Wang’s Wednesday show comes amid rebrand efforts following a series of sexual assault allegations made against him in 2020 and 2021. Wang was accused by 11 people of groping and drugging them. After initially dismissing the claims, Wang met with his accusers and issued a statement in 2021, expressing regret over his actions that caused “pain.”
The victims were all represented by Lisa Bloom, who announced that the matter had been resolved and the accusers wanted to move “forward.”
Amid the controversy, Wang took a slight step back from the spotlight by unveiling his first show since 2019 in April 2022 — outside of the New York Fashion Week calendar. He presented another collection in February 2023 — also off the schedule. He explained to Vogue on Wednesday that going forward, his brand will focus on events in June with the goal of doing “something really fun once a year.”
“When I stepped off the New York calendar, I wanted to challenge myself to think, to challenge everyone I work with. I didn’t have anything against showing on the calendar, but I felt I had to tick so many boxes — present a collection, give the press a story, give the customers something else. I was trying to juggle so much and put it all into one moment, and it didn’t make sense anymore,” Wang told the publication.
Wang hasn’t mentioned the sexual assault allegations further, only telling Vogue Business in 2022, “When this occurred, I was very confused by it all. … I was angry … and I responded poorly.”
He added, “What I’ve learned is how much responsibility I have. It was a tremendous learning, to have a greater sensitivity and a greater awareness.”
