Here’s what you didn’t know about Alexander Wang

Taiwanese-American Alexander Wang was born and raised in San Francisco, California. From a young age, Wang was interested in design and fashion. At the age of 15, he had the chance to travel to Great Britain and attend a summer design program at Central Saint Martins. By the time he turned 18, the young Wang decided to move to New York City and attend the Parsons Design School where he became an intern.

He dropped out of school during his sophomore year. However, Wang was busy creating a line of sweaters using knit fabric for women. The collection evolved into cashmere sweaters bearing his name on the label. He initially sold the sweaters while going from door-to-door. But, the younger designer soon gained recognition when his story appeared in the “New York Times.”

The Professional Career Begins

Two years later in 2007, he introduced a casual wear collection on a catwalk in New York. His designs were warmly accepted. The fashion show enabled him to contract his designs with more than 200 boutique and retail stores around the world. The young five-foot three-inch marvel won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund one year later. The $20,000 was awarded to help him expand his business. He soon introduced a handbag collection.

Later that year, he won the Swiss Textiles Award. In 2010, the young man won the Swarovski Designer of the Year Award for his accessories. The awards kept coming and Wang gained more and more worldwide recognition. By 2011, he opened his first store in SoHo, Lower Manhattan. His company soon became a family-operated franchise. Brother Dennis Wang became his chief principal designer. Sister-in-law Amie became the company’s CEO.

Creations in Demand

Soon he was called upon to design creations for others. In 2011, he worked with Billy Reid to create special t-shirts for the Starbucks coffee chain. The fashion tees started with a plain white shirt to which he added what appeared to be a coffee spill. However, the spill traveled downward into a trickle that transformed into the Starbucks’ brand mermaid.

In 2016, Wang assumed the role of CEO and chairman of the company that bears his name. That same year, he played host for the New York Fashion Week show. The following year, the young fashion creator was recognised as one of HypeBeast’s HB100. The honour ranked him among the top 100 influential people in the industry.

His elite line of clothing ranges from $400 to $1,500 per item. His clothes and accessories are popular with a number of celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Megan Fox and Nicole Richie. He also created a number of clothing and shoes for Adidas. The shoes range in price from $132 to $175. The clothing ranges from $80 to $350. Today, the 35-year-old designer has a net worth of $70 million.