Fashion

Alexander Wang’s First Balenciaga Campaign Breaks

by Ally Batista
Stocksy

Months ago, I was equally shocked and intrigued by the news of Alexander Wang’s appointment as Balenciaga’s newest Creative Director, following the highly publicized exit of Nicolas Ghesquière.

So far, I’ve heard nothing but success stories of the young designer and his newest venture in the fashion world. However one must always wonder if a new creative director is going to completely alter the brand, or stick to its roots.

Previous Balenciaga campaigns featured sulky, often colorful and visually compelling campaigns created by Steven Meisel and Marie Amelie-Sauve, under Ghesquière’s reign of course.

Would Wang stick to the same aesthetic? Of course he didn’t. The newest Balenciaga campaigns have just broke and they certainly scream Alexander Wang. Dark, moody, pared down, yet striking, this campaign, shot by Steven Klein, was said to be going for a “very cinematic portrayal… with lots of emotion” to contrast with the “austerity bestowed in the show.”

Balenciaga campaigns are accustomed to using famous faces (past spokeswomen: Jennifer Connelly, Gisele, etc), and this campaign is no exception.

Wang cast Kristen McMenamy to front the campaign, although you can’t see her face, as it is obscured. This gives the campaign an air of mystery, while highlighting and focusing on the clothes, which, after all, is the point.

It’s not like Wang needs much help marketing his latest collection. The designer won mass critical acclaim in his first collection for the house and is guaranteed to have continued success.

If you’d like to see more of the campaign photos, and past archives of campaigns dating all the way back to 1998, simply head over to Balenciaga’s website.

Photo Credit: Getty Images