Emblematic Pieces from Balenciaga’s Latest Collection: the Centerpiece of New Ad Campaign

2012 was one of those years where a number of heads of the great French couture houses stepped down. Far from the conceptual aesthetic of ad opuses developed by Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang is anchoring himself in a radical modesty topped off by an urban character. His mission? Pursue the modernization of the label with his sense of chic wear style by attaching touches of his loose and colorless style that’s on the edge of casual. After only two seasons, it’s become evident that he is able to supply, silhouette after silhouette, a plethora of strong pieces and must-haves that fashionistas are crazy for. And yet, when François-Henri Pinault approached the young man, his first reaction was to decline the offer since he was afraid of being “the most hated man in fashion”; as an American designer joining an illustrious French fashion house founded by someone else, he was afraid, he says, of being backed up against a wall. We already know how the story ends; by establishing himself right from his very first collection as a worthy heir of Cristobal Balenciaga, Alexander Wang seems to have seized the master’s doctrine: the elimination of the secret of chic. Just like the sensual impact of the back.

This very same back is emphasized by the Fall/Winter 2013-2014 ad campaign, the first  under the creative direction of Alexander Wang. Five shots have already been unveiled: the first, last spring, reveals American model Kristen McMemamy in a graphic dress with an upside down A-shaped opening in the back. Shot by American photographer Steven Klein, the campaign uses a procedure that is often put aside: the photos are done from the back as if to better draw the eye to the sculptural clothing. Wang’s touch can also be found in the somber and delicate atmosphere that pervades the photographs. This pure staging leaves room for a fascinating mystery to hover overhead, almost hypnotically. Emotion is also there; like one of his already emblematic pieces that, like Le Dix, will fly off the shelves right away. The it-bag maker’s latest collection for the couture house is honored in a way that couldn’t be more impactful on the growing amount of admiration for this New York genius. It’s all very Balenciaga!