Wang’s Fall /Winter ’18-’19 Collection Is Corporate Battle Ready
Anna Wintour could not hide the nostalgic grin on her usually stoic face as she waited for Alexander Wang’s Fall/Winter 2018/2019 show to begin. The 21st floor of the Times Square skyscraper is a space that Wintour is very familiar with: Condé Nast’s previous headquarters. It was Wang’s old stomping ground as well, as he got his start interning for Vogue and Teen Vogue in that very building.
While Wintour was obviously pleased with Wang’s choice of location, members of the press sat in their office cubicles with raised eyebrows. The space has remained empty since Condé Nast’s relocation. Could Wang be hinting at the precarious future of publishing?
When waiting for the show to start, the fluorescent lights flickered as sound effects of heels clacking pounded through the speakers. In what first started out as a stroll became a sprint that screeched to a halt. The lights came up and out walked model Liu Chunjie in a studded, belted, blazer coat with spiky biker gloves and a fur bag. Plus, she’s not even sweating or out of breath.
Jokes aside, Wang means business with this collection. He had a diverse group of models with slicked-back hair and banana clips fastened, so there would be nothing getting in their way. Each look in the collection had an air of corporate power with a bit of youthful flare like the structured tweed Chanel-esque jacket in Fandango pink worn by model Songhwa Oh.
Pantyhose was the common thread of every look, to millennials dismay. They were tucked into pointed toe stilettos reminiscent of late 80s apparel. I personally HATE pantyhose. They are dated, modest and extremely restrictive. While they fit into the Working Girl aesthetic of Wang’s collection, this is one trend I desperately hope does not circle back to the streets.
Ten years after he started his brand, Wang still designs for the New York party girl but now, she has turned into a work-a-holic held in the bondage of 24/7 corporate hustle. Despite this locational theme, many of Wang’s looks with exposed bras, bare midriffs, and plunging necklines are simply not office appropriate. This woman clearly misses her nights out on the town and would rather be there instead of the conference room. The sexy space cadet/dominatrix look is probably wrong for the workplace altogether and better suited for the club scene.
It is also relevant to note that the show took place at night. While the 7 pm falls outside of the 9-5 workday, working overtime is not uncommon these days. Perhaps this was Wang’s way of commenting on how technology has made it such that the work day never really ends. People are itching to climb the corporate ladder, and Wang is saying that if you’re going to do it, do it in his clothes.
The most memorable item of the whole show is possibly the infamous Matrix-style sunglasses. with the letters “CEO” printed in three-dimensional silver letters on the arms. Wang later called them “a striking interpretation of confident corporate femininity”. This is ironic because Wang recently stepped down as the company’s CEO and gave the position to Goop’s former frontrunner, Lisa Gersh. This item could be dedicated to her and all of her fellow girl bosses.
Wang’s structured flight suits are ready for corporate battle. Mission? Kicking misogyny’s butt. The only thing missing was Keanu Reeves.