Don't ask me why I replaced mashed Sisqo's Thong Song with Alexander Wang's surname. It seems like the sort of chant that the legions of fan girls that Wang has garnered over the past few years might be singing on the streets. Or should that be 'have' instead of 'has', as in should I be referring to Alexander Wang as a plural... a group... a big time superbrand which is what came to mind, when I saw the taxi cab ads passing by as well as mahussive billboards of the S/S 11 lookbook looming over me announcing the first flagship store opening.
The ex-Yohji Yamamoto store on the corner of Grand and Mercer had been boarded up with the pending Alexander Wang "Opening Soon" sign for over six months and now finally it's open and whilst expansive, given the amount of space, I was expecting something much starker. Instead I went in and was confronted with a sprawling mass of baby's breath (I think?) clambering up a cage structure at the doorway that added something unexpectedly pretty to the entrance.
Go further in and the pretty flora continues with a purple blooms decorating the coffee table and the cashier counter...
Then there's the giant fur hammock suspended in the middle of the store, something that purposely breaks up the space and along with a couch adds intimacy to what is a monolithic space. Black walls, silver accents and maybe some blocky furniture would have conformed to a cliche of Alexander Wang's brand values but this space was pleasantly tranquil and had some aptly fun touches that in a similar vein have elevated his clothes from grungey, downtown uniforms to something more thought provoking. One of those ironic touches, was that piss take of lux apres ski wear and richy rich tendancies in the latest A/W 11-12 which as I said before gets a thumbs up in my book...
Perhaps I will take back the plural identity of Alexander Wang because whenever you see him in person, it is still that young and vastly energetic guy who just happened to hap upon a time where his clothes resonated with New York and beyond...
Anyhow, a stark and sterile place wouldn't suit someone who smiles as broadly as this...
It's a sea of white and black clothes wise as I believe S/S 11 stock is still coming in but of course one shade caught my eye...
...this was for me the stand-out piece in the S/S 11 collection. There's something about mint-green baco-foil mixed with copper detailing that works really well. Actually should baco-foil come in different metallic colours? Hmmm...
The rose-gold/copper hues pervade the jewellery...
... as well as the shoes with a peachy echo best seen in these chunky boots...
I'm sure these bags will be a permanent fixture on shoppers in and around Soho from now on...
Wisely, the store is biased heavily towards the plethora of bags which has expanded vastly with exclusive styles made especially for the store, with all the intenions of flying off the shelves...
Case in point, I literally walked up to the shelf, grabbed a clutch and totted off to the counter in less than ten minutes. An act of extravagance that I put down to my continuing interest in anything rose gold/copper related as well as missing one contact lens from my eye which induced a headache that probably made me think I was one of those airy types that buys a designer bag in an instant...
The one above was a bit of a financial stretch despite the amount of rose-gold studding that I think is far more striking than the familiar gold studs. Instead I went for this canvas, leather and rose-gold accented paper bag clutch that I either carry like a brown paper bag or folded up. I take back what I said about those silver/copper loafer heels fromt he A/W 11-12 collection being my next significant Wang buy (yes, everyone DOES refer to his goods label by his last name only...). The store being so scarily close to either of the Grand Hotels where I normally stay will perhaps be my financial undoing despite my protestations against being a Wangite. Or maybe I'll just surrender one of these days...
Sing it with me then... "Girl I know you wanna show da na da na... That Wang Wa Wang Wang Wang..."
