Who Is Alexander Wang? The Designer, the Label and the Look

Alexander Wang is an American fashion designer, born in San Francisco on 26 December 1983, who founded his New York label in 2005 and was creative director of Balenciaga from 2012 to 2015. His house is known for the downtown, model-off-duty wardrobe: black on black, stretch knits, low-slung denim and crystal hotfix detailing. You can shop the current collection at Alexander Wang at Coveti, from ready-to-wear to the bags and the heels.

Alexander Wang at a glance

From San Francisco to Parsons

Wang grew up in San Francisco and moved to New York at 18 to study at Parsons School of Design. He did not finish the course. Instead he left to build a business, starting in 2005 with a small collection of knitwear, and showed his first full womenswear collection at New York Fashion Week in February 2007. The clothes were simple and black, cut for a woman who looked as though she had dressed in the dark and still got it right. That idea, a little undone and very deliberate, is still the core of the label.

The awards that made the name

In 2008 Wang won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the prize that has launched a generation of American designers. A year later he won the CFDA Swarovski Award for womenswear, and in 2010 the same award for accessories, which shows how quickly the bags had become a business of their own. He launched a lower-priced line, T by Alexander Wang, in 2009, built around soft jersey tees, and opened his first flagship store in New York’s SoHo in 2011.

The Balenciaga years

In December 2012 Balenciaga named Wang its creative director, succeeding Nicolas Ghesquiere. He was 29. For almost three years he designed for the Paris house while running his own label in New York, and his Balenciaga collections were praised for their technical fabrics and sculpted shapes. He left in July 2015 to focus on his own company. Shoppers still search for “Alexander Wang Balenciaga” pieces, and that period explains the precision you find in his tailoring and his shoes today.

What is Alexander Wang known for?

He is known for turning the clothes models wear between shows into fashion. In practice that means fitted stretch tanks and bodycon minis, curved barrel jeans, boxer waistbands that peek over trousers, cropped hoodies and matching sweatpants, and the crystal hotfix that turns a plain tee into an evening piece. In accessories he is known for the Rocco duffle, the studded Ricco flap bag and the Punch tote, and for shoes like the Cher crystal mule and the Julie sandal.

The H&M collaboration and adidas

In November 2014 Wang designed a sportswear-led collection for H&M, one of the retailer’s best-known designer collaborations. He later worked with adidas Originals on several capsules. Both partnerships fit his habit of borrowing from athletic wear and then cutting it with fashion proportions.

Who wears Alexander Wang?

His shows have long been cast with the models of the moment, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid among them, and the clothes are worn in the same spirit off the runway: a fitted tank, a pair of jeans, a sharp mule, a bag with some hardware. It is a wardrobe for nights out that start straight from work.

Is Alexander Wang a luxury brand?

Yes. It shows in New York, sells through its own stores and leading department stores, and prices its ready-to-wear and bags in the luxury tier, although the T-shirts and denim make it one of the more approachable designer names. We answer the question in detail in Is Alexander Wang a luxury brand?.

Shop Alexander Wang at Coveti

A few pieces that sum up the house:

• Rocco Reissue Large Duffle Bag in Black: Totes & Top-Handle Bags, Body: 100% leather
• Rocco Reissue Mini Duffle Bag in Black: Totes & Top-Handle Bags, Body: 100% leather
• Cher 105mm Crystal Hotfix Mule in Black and Silver: Mules, Upper: 92% polyester, 8% elastane
• Asymmetric Drape Mini Dress in Charcoal: Mini Dresses, Body: 57% wool, 37% polyamide, 6% elastane
• Asymmetric Ruched Mini Dress in Star White: Mini Dresses, Body: 93% cupro, 7% elastane
• Balloon Logo-Embossed Jean in Vintage Light Indigo: Denim, Body: 62% cotton, 23% polyactide, 15% lyocell

Not sure of your size? Read our Alexander Wang size guide, and see brands like Alexander Wang if you want to compare.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Alexander Wang?

Alexander Wang is an American fashion designer, born in San Francisco in 1983, who founded his New York fashion label in 2005 and was creative director of Balenciaga from 2012 to 2015.

How old is Alexander Wang?

Alexander Wang was born on 26 December 1983. He is 42 and turns 43 in December 2026.

Did Alexander Wang design for Balenciaga?

Yes. He was creative director of Balenciaga from December 2012 until July 2015, while also running his own label in New York.

What is Alexander Wang famous for?

He is famous for the model-off-duty look: black stretch knits, low-rise denim, boxer waistbands, crystal hotfix detailing, the Rocco duffle bag and sharp heeled mules and sandals.

Where is Alexander Wang based?

The label is headquartered in New York, where the designer founded it in 2005 and opened his first flagship store in SoHo in 2011.