Fashionologie Interview

>> Alexander Wang's New York flagship is just over a month old, but it sounds like there's been no shortage of shoppers passing through. Within a week of opening, he told us, some of the bags had already sold out. Late last week, the designer threw an exclusive shopping event for American Express cardholders — to encourage a few more shoppers to do some damage — and took a minute to chat with us about his upcoming trip to Coachella, whether or not we might see him Tweeting, and what he's currently excited about. Also, for those who haven't been able to make the store in person, Wang just posted a behind-the-scenes video documenting the making of the store, in which he describes his ideas and inspiration for the space.

You guys have had such good luck with awards! The Swiss Textile Award, the GQ Menswear Award a couple of months ago, and now three CFDA Award nominations . . .

I always say that I really owe it to my team and I share it with everyone that I work with, because they really are the ones that make it happen. Yeah, it’s my name on the door, but I could not have done it without my entire team.

And you just recently started a Twitter — can we expect to see you Tweeting at all?

Yes! They actually just taught me how to use it, in terms of signing up and actually posting things. Right now, it’s been a collective [effort]. We want to be very mindful in terms of what we want to put on there — making sure it’s only the best news and the things that people really, really want to pay attention to, to make it have good value. But yeah, definitely. I don’t know, I’m going on some big trips, and then maybe I'll . . . something will come up . . . whatever it may be. Maybe tonight!

Are you going on these big trips for inspiration hunting?

Yes, I’m going to Coachella . . . my yearly retreat. I’m going with friends, four of us. We’re renting a house for the first time, actually — I usually stay at a hotel. I stayed at the Ace [Hotel in Palm Springs] the first time, and that was so far [away from the festival], and then I stayed at another hotel last year. This year we were like, we’re going to rent a house so we can play music at night when we get back and not have people complaining about it, so, yeah.

Anyone you’re really looking forward to seeing at Coachella?

Yeah, Kanye’s headlining, so I’m really excited, and Lauryn Hill’s going to be there. I don’t know, I feel like I always . . . I don’t really care who’s performing, I’m always just like: for the experience, I want to go, and then when I get there I plan out my day . . . you know, see who’s going on. But just those two [alone], it's worth going for.

What has sold well in the showroom and during buyer's appointments from your Fall 2011 collection?

Oh good, we just did our merchandising meeting this week! Our handbags have really taken off as a part of our business, our footwear is actually growing tremendously as well. I’m actually learning a lot from the store [and] what’s on the floor right now: our Diego and our Rocco from our Dumbo group, which is all of our handbags with the studs on the bottom, are still our best-sellers, which has been awesome. The first week [after the store's opening], we did this really special display in the back, and within the first week they all sold out, so it’s great that there’s still life [for a design] beyond one season.

Of course, I’m a big fan of our new Prisma group, which is all the [handbags] with the metal corners. My favorite bag is the Jade clutch, just this toiletry clutch that we put metal corners on. I think for Fall, what was great is that we did a lot of things with fur, and with the higher price point, it was kind of like . . . we wanted to test the market and see how the buyers would respond. They have really . . . they’ve been great. Our bestseller from the entire ready-to-wear collection was the grey vest with the yellow zip-out windbreaker pockets and the fur collar. It was great, to see an item like that . . . I feel like it had a really strong impact in the show, so it really kind of transcended into the market week.

Have you been in the store a lot while people are shopping?

Yeah, I’ve been in here at least once a week. At least.

Do you like to interact with the customers?

Well, one day, we came in and the phone rang, so I just picked up the phone and was like, "Alexander Wang," and I helped the lady on the phone — she was looking for one of our Rocco bags. So that was kind of fun. Other than that, a couple of times I’ll be in and people will be like, "Oh, hey!" and I’ll be like, "Do you have any questions?" You know? It’s been great to have that really direct communication with the customer and really, this is the first time we’ve been one-on-one [with] what works, what doesn’t work . . . not even in the product itself, just the entire experience of shopping with us.

Are you dressing anyone for the Costume Institute Gala?

We are dressing someone, but it’s not confirmed yet who. Actually, a lot of my friends have been like, "Oh, you know, I’m taking blah blah blah, who are you going with?" And I’m like, "I don’t know yet!" It’s always a little last minute for us, and it’s great, because we really want to make it special. It’s always someone we feel like we have a special relationship with or someone who really means something to us, so . . . but no, we haven’t confirmed yet.

Is there anything else you’re really excited about right now?

Our menswear. I met with our store manager last week, and I was like, "What has been the one thing that everyone has been asking for or talking about?" And they said the men’s stuff. I was actually really surprised, because we only started men’s T about three seasons ago, and so I felt like we haven’t really . . . we’ve started to build a following, but it hasn’t been paying off as much. Women’s line has been around much longer. But it’s great that we’re going to have that audience, and it’s been perfect timing since we [just] launched our men’s ready-to-wear [with] a capsule collection for Fall [2011], and it will be fully launched for Spring [2012]. To have that audience already, we’re really honored and really excited to showcase it.

>> Fresh off the announcement of his CFDA nomination for the second year running in the Swarovski Award for Womenswear category — this time he's up against Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's The Row and Prabal Gurung — Joseph Altuzarra hit up Barneys to host a trunk show for his parka and slinky silk-dress-filled Fall 2011 collection. We grabbed him for a few minutes to chat about how competitive it is among young designers in New York, the fact that he and close friend Alexander Wang turned out Fall 2011 collections with a number of similarities, and who he'd like to collaborate with next.

Congratulations on your CFDA Award nomination! Did you do anything to celebrate?

I didn't, actually. I'm drawing pre-collection, so I drew [afterwards]. I went to the [announcement cocktails] thing, and it was great to be there. I actually didn't go last season — I was in Paris, so I wasn't able to make it. But it was really fun to go [this year], it was a nice atmosphere. And what's fun about the nomination that I got is that it's usually very similar generations. So it doesn't feel as competitive, it feels way friendlier. I mean, obviously, Prabal I know, and we're very friendly. Mary-Kate and Ashley, as well.

It feels like there's this whole group of young burgeoning designers rising up together in New York right now — for the most part, the big classic American designers were shut out from the nominations this year.

No it's true, there is I think this kind of mass effect of young designers. And I think we genuinely don't feel all that competitive. Of course you have the, "Why was he featured and I wasn't?" type of things, but overall, I think we're all really friendly — like we talk to each other about business and about what we're doing. It's very open — which is nice, I think it's how it should be.

Speaking of, do you and Alexander Wang ever talk about your collections together? Because for Fall 2011, you had a lot of similarities — you guys both played the same Prodigy song during your shows, and you had a similar quilted poncho cape that Cathy Horyn pointed out.

We hadn't, actually. And this is really the truth — when I saw his show [which happened a few hours before Altuzarra's], I was like, "Oh my God, we're going to get panned." But I think also what people discount is that we're the same age, and we hang out a lot, and even if we don't talk about our collections, we see similar things. I mean, we also have very similar reference points in time, because we're the same age. So, honestly, I think it's more funny than anything. But it's true, there were similarities — the fur shoes . . . I mean, it's kind of crazy when you think about how much — the Prodigy, and that cape thing, and it was kind of '90s, also . . . It was really, really eerie. But funny. And I hope people see it as more funny than anything.

Did you guys talk about it afterwards?

Yeah, I think he sent me a text. He came to my show and he sent me a text like, "That is ridiculous," or something. Or I think he said like, "I think we need to stop hanging out so much." I was like, "Yeah."

But you guys are still obviously hanging out.

Yeah, yeah, it's not like . . . I think we think it's more funny.

Last year you turned a profit for the first time. What do you credit with being able to achieve that?

I think starting during a recession has made a really big difference in the way we run the company — we thought we were going to grow the structure a lot faster than we decided to. And we've really kept it bare bones. I think most people would be shocked to know how small it still is. Our overhead costs and cost of running the company are fairly low because we're just not a lot of people and still in a fairly small space. Also, the great thing about being in New York is that you have so many of these amazing sponsorship programs — MAC at Milk, also the Tents with Maybelline — which really doesn't exist anywhere else at this level. So I do credit it in part to that. And also, I am the designer, but I'm also very aware of the business. I know how much things cost, so I know I'm shooting myself in the foot if I use a lot of crocodile or very expensive embroidery. And I know it's just not the time to do it.

So you do think about what sells when you're designing.

Oh yeah, for sure. I'm lucky to have a team around me that keeps me grounded. The bulk of my work is very creative, but there's also a side to it that's just making sure I'm doing something that can actually sell and translate to a retail floor.

What do you find sells well for you, in general, season over season?

Definitely tailoring always does very well, whether it's the Spring's more peak-shouldered jackets or the Fall's parkas. And we're also starting to see a more popular category in pants. And dresses have always sold very, very well for us.

It felt like for Fall 2011 you went more wearable than you have in the past — was that a conscious decision?

It was a conscious decision but it actually wasn't a commercial decision — it was a stylistic decision. I was feeling something that was a lot more day, just in the proportion and in the ease of things. And that kind of stylistic decision helped make the whole thing look a lot easier and more wearable.

And you're still working with both Melanie Huynh and Vanessa Traina?

Yeah, I mean they come in from different perspectives. Calling Vanessa a muse is so cliche and I wish there was another word for it, but I see Vanessa almost every day, so there is this side to our relationship that is very inspiring, just because of the way she is and how she dresses. And she obviously does a lot of consulting as well. And then Melanie definitely does a lot of consulting, but she comes in more towards the show, in terms of the styling.

Vanessa usually walks in your shows, but she didn't for Fall 2011.

She was actually not in town — I would have loved for her to walk, because this collection was very Vanessa, and it really came from how she was dressing at the time that I was drawing. I was really, really inspired by her.

Your mom is the CEO of your company — how does that work?

Yeah, she's my boss. You know, in a way, it's an ideal situation, because she lives in Paris, and it helps to have this kind of two-legged foundation, because everything is produced in Italy. In terms of time difference, it's just easier to have someone who's on that side of the Atlantic. But I obviously trust her implicitly, and we're able to have very honest conversations about business. I think we're both very good at divorcing our personal relationship from the business.

You have a strong history of collaborations — Gianvito Rossi for shoes, Gaia Repossi for jewelry, Current/Elliott for denim — is there anyone else you'd really like to work with?

No, not really. I'm trying to think . . . No, but I really do want to start developing more things under my name, so it might be enough collaborations for a little bit.

So you're trying to go in-house with accessories?

Yeah, I think maybe by next year we'll start developing accessories. I think it's important for us and for the development of the brand. We'll be at four years, which I think is a good time to start introducing more in-house things.

After everything that's happened with John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, and Christophe Decarnin, there's been a lot of talk that the current pace of the industry is driving designers to unhealthy places. Do you feel that at all?

I think you need a really, really, really good support system, both within your company but also just outside. I'm really lucky that I have the family and friends that I have — a lot of them don't necessarily work in fashion, and that's really helpful for me professionally, and just for my own sanity. I definitely feel it very bodily — like stomachaches. Yes, everything goes really fast, and now it feels like it's going faster even, mainly because of the Internet. And there's this immediacy and access to information and products, which makes everything you do feel old much sooner than it would have before. So you're constantly trying to bring something different and new to the table as fast as you can.

Is there any particular way you're trying to address that need for the new?

Adding collections for sure is the more classic way of doing it, but I think you also have to be very careful about the press that you do, and not be overexposed. The reality today is that there is a customer who will buy a $4,000 jacket because it's in Vogue, but there's also a customer who will not buy it because it's been in Vogue for six months. So you have to find that balance where you're enticing the customer but you're not revealing everything and you're not overselling it.

Final question: Now that the whirlwind of Fashion Month is over and things are calming down a little bit, do you have any plans to relax or vacation? Or are you just going straight into pre-collection?

No, [I'm going] straight into pre-collection . . . we actually started before the [Fall 2011] show. I am going on a long weekend soon, though, which will be nice.

>> Street Peeper's Phil Oh took a quick time-out to chat with us about the perfect snap, Fashion Week essentials, and more. Listen up to what he has to say:

What kind of street style inspires you?

I'm always a sucker for prints and colors but it's hard to do in the Winter because it's freezing.

Tell us about one of the wildest looks you've seen at NYFW.

Susie Bubble, my BFF, was wearing this electric blue turban and a pair of vintage Ralph Lauren sequin floral pants. It has white sequins with red, blue, and orange flowers on it. It was pretty ridiculous; we walked into an Indian restaurant for dinner and then everyone turned their heads and stared at her. I thought it was amazing — one of my favorite Susie Bubble looks.

What are your Fashion Week essentials?

Uniqlo HeatTech long johns and t-shirts. They cost about $15 and keep me warm all through Winter.

What are your Fashion Week indulgences?

Marea on Central Park South has a $40 prix fixe lunch. It's my Fashion Week splurge: I go there and get a delicious uni and crab spaghetti between shows, then come back to take more photos.

How do you stay sane during this time?

I don't go out anymore because I have to wake up early and I'm the kind of person that requires eight hours of sleep. I know it's not fun and I'm a party pooper. Other than that, I try to stay hydrated with coconut water and use Kiehl's lip balm.

Any post-Fashion Week plans?

After March 10, I plan on sleeping for a week and playing video games. I'm going to get a Wii and play Super Mario Galaxy.

>> We spent a quick minute with jewelry designer, actor, and shopkeeper Waris Ahluwalia after the Cynthia Vincent show last night. Listen up to what Waris had to say:

What shows, besides Cynthia Vincent, are you heading to this week?

I'm looking forward to checking out United Bamboo, Elise Overland, and Edun.

Any Fashion Week vices?

No — in addition to attending shows, I have to prepare for my first presentation this week.

What about Fashion Week essentials?

Trying to get sleep. I hardly get any at all, but I love it. I love Fashion Week.

Favorite New York restaurants?

They're always the same: Omen and Bar Pitti.

What item in your closet are you wearing most right now?

My pink suede loafers from Esquivel.

>> Prabal Gurung went dressed as Marc Jacobs — complete with tattoos, stubble, kilt, and combat boots — to The Standard's Halloween party this past weekend, but as Gurung told us yesterday in San Francisco where he was holding a trunk show at Neiman Marcus’s Union Square location, he avoided Jacobs seeing his costume: "So I was [at The Standard], and I met some of [Jacobs's] friends, and they said, 'Come meet Marc!' As I was taking my steps toward him, I thought, what if he hates it? I’ll be mortified, so I just said, 'No way.'" Gurung continued: "I was so petrified. I saw him the next day at the Women’s Wear Daily event, and I just tried to avoid him! I just didn’t know how he would react to it . . . I hope he liked it!"

So we had to ask: Zoe Saldana has mentioned that she would love to do a collaboration with you . . .

I can’t talk about it right now. I mean, I would love to. Zoe is one of my dearest friends; I’ve known her for almost eight years now, before Avatar or anything happened, and we’ve always talked about doing something. The collaboration we would do is going to be a collaboration that benefits something. Whatever little attention I’m getting, and whatever crazy attention she’s getting, when we combine forces, it has to be not just for economics; it has to be for something better — that’s our goal. She’s shooting right now, and I’m travelling, so we talk a lot. We’re supposed to talk on the phone today, so we’ll see. We’ll keep you posted.

So you guys are definitely talking about it?

Yeah, we are talking about it, but it’s not something like “Oh, we want to do shoes.” It’s more like, "How can we do something that seems authentic?” Because there are so many collaborations out there, and I think the customers are just inundated with that. What is it that is going to be true to me, true to her, true to you guys? Why would you want to buy it? It need to be honest, I feel. Right now, I would give you a direction of where it’s going, but there is nothing yet . . . we just don’t know yet.

Speaking of collaborations, you worked with Nicholas Kirkwood on shoes this past season. Do you plan to continue that or would you do your own accessories anytime soon?

Right now, we're going ahead with Nicholas for the next season also. [Spring 2011] was the first time we did it, and it’s been received so crazily, so amazingly well . . . so we both are very happy. Down the line, definitely — it won’t be like next season that I’m launching my own shoe collection — but definitely in the near future, I will be launching shoes and handbags.

Nice! Do you already have any sketches in the making?

If you knew a little bit about me, all this stuff, with Fall 2009 as my collection's launch . . .  About 15 years ago, I had written in my diary — and I’m not kidding — that I wanted to do something then. So I’m a little bit of a planner — not like an OCD planner — but I just like to write down thoughts and ideas. I’m also very open to the idea that I might change them, but I always like to plan stuff.

While we're on the topic, are you interested in any other type of collaboration?

You know, with collaborations and everything, the goal is this: I’m not interested in just being a flash in the pan. I’m interested in the longevity of my career. For me, I’m at point A; I have to go to point Z. It’s a long process, but I’m extremely patient. I want to build a lifestyle brand that has longevity. In 20 years, when I look back, maybe in 20 years we can sit down and talk about it again. I’m not interested in trends, or being cool, or anything. It’s more about timeless but relevant clothes that have a place on the runway, in editorial magazines, as well as in someone’s wardrobe. I’m making clothes for women to wear, not costumes.

Awards season is just a couple of months away, are you looking into entering the red carpet race?

This is what I say: I never get into the red carpet race. We make ourselves available, and if an actress or stylist feels it is the right partnership, I’m always open to it, always. It is important for branding purposes to get your name out there, but what I don’t believe in is the cutthroat kind of thing. If it’s going to happen, it’ll happen. You just have to make yourself available, and that’s what it is.

Who are some of the actresses that come to you a lot?

I met Demi Moore through Rachel Zoe, and she has been the biggest supporter of mine. I always say she’s my fairy godmother, and then there's Zoe Saldana, Carey Mulligan, and Leighton Meester. We've always dressed Thandie Newton, who I love. All the women that I’ve dressed are very intelligent, smart women, beautiful — no doubt about it. But when you sit down and talk to them, they’re not giddy . . . they’ll talk sense to you. That’s what I enjoy about dressing them.

Is there anyone that you haven’t dressed that you would love to dress one day?

There are a few. I love Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Rebecca Hall, and Julianne Moore. The girls I’ve named have some kind of substance to them — they’re unique, they love fashion, but they’re also extremely talented and very good at their craft. Without fashion, they could still survive. I would also love to dress some politicians, and their wives.

Well you’ve already dressed a good one — Michelle Obama!

Yes, she’s been the biggest champion. She is truly a godsend.