NEW YORK FASHION WEEK A/W '13 (8)

Alexander Wang provided an alternate meaning to 50 Shades of Grey with his last showcase before his Balenciaga debut.

The CDFA extraordinaire started his career when he dropped out of Parsons The New School of Design in his sophomore year back in 2007, sparking the  launch of his first womens ready-to-wear collection. The collections have always evoked a masculine aesthetic, boasting gentle nods to the nineties and the grunge scene with a roll-out-of bed niche to them. Although large volumes of his work are presented in darkened shades, predominantly black, Wang gained his status through his expertise and precision in tailoring. And now with his latest credited accomplishment in replacing Nicola Ghesquiere at the helm of Balenciaga, Wang's downtown hipster chic has bounced him through the ranks of fashion royalty.

The Cunard building played host to Wang's anticipated showcase, pounding out the soundtrack to Rocky III 'Eye of the Tiger' - perhaps an apt choice to 'rise up to the challenge' for the up-and-coming Balenciaga saga. The collection was full of over-the-top winter necessities with irresistible warmth and cosy fuzz playing the leading role throughout. Wang admitted that the inspiration was boxing which would explain the reason for the gigantic, oversized mittens and hooded all-in-ones layered upon with woollen fur-trimmed trenches and two-tone blocked peacoats. Heavy knits and jackets with wrap-around collars depicted the stages before 'the fight' boasting cottons, furs, leathers and suede - truly luxurious, technical materials. All silhouettes seemed magnified, creating something quite monstrous when moving down the runway - executing this similarity to layering.

The colour palette utilised was sombre - think greys, blacks and whites - but the specialism that Wang presented the garments within was to 'block' the colours together, creating this patchwork vision posing as the thread throughout the show. Paired with the collective display of materials, the pieces are built to easily manage the elements produced within the winter months and as always, showcase the extraordinary talents of Wang's capabilities.

Photographs: MONICA FEUDI/ INDIGITAL/ GORUNWAY

Images courtesy of style.com