Fashion News

It's Official: PPR (Finally) Announces Alexander Wang at Balenciaga

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(ImaxTree) Alexander Wang at his spring 2013 show in New York

After a week of speculation and unconfirmed confirmation Balenciaga's holding company, PPR, has finally officially announced that New York-based designer Alexander Wang will take over the creative director position at Balenciaga, starting today. Wang will oversee women's, men's, and accessories design for the storied couture house.

"I am deepy honored to embark on this new role for a brand and house that I have such great admiration and respect for," Wang said in a statement.

Since the rumor broke last week, there's been plenty of industry speculation about what this means for the luxury brand. Balenciaga's image is solidly rooted in couture and innovation—whereas Alexander Wang's eponymous label leans heavily on sportswear influences, generating collections filled with louche looks favored by the fashion school set.

"Balenciaga is an extraordinary fashion house with inexhaustible potential and it is endowed with a priceless heritage," said Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of PPR. "Alexander Wang will use his creativity and his own research to reinterpret and immortalize the distinctive, modern, and extremely innovative style impsed by Cristobal Balenciaga."

No news yet on where Nicolas Ghesquiere, Balenciaga's former creative director, and his team are headed next. Stay tuned for that.

As an aside, it's interesting to note that former Balenciaga Head Designer Alistair Carr (who left the house for Pringle late last year) is now the Creative Director of McQ, where he works closely with designer Carli Pearson, who was formerly the Design Director at Alexander Wang.