Let's address the elephant in the room: Alexander Wang held his first runway show since being accused of sexual assault by multiple men.
The disgraced designer unveiled his Fall/Winter 2022 collection in the heart of Los Angeles' Chinatown, where he set up a full-blown night market spotlighting local Asian-owned eateries and retailers.
While sipping boba tea (according to Business of Fashion, there was no alcohol in sight — a far cry from previous "WangFests," where booze flowed freely) and snacking on dim sum, guests could purchase commemorative Alexander Wang merchandise, benefiting "the Los Angeles Chinatown corporation’s maintenance and preservation of the historic Chinatown central plaza," per the brand's website.
Much like Wang's previous AAPI-focused initiatives, the event was a very transparent attempt to deflect from his problematic behavior and instead focus on a cause everyone can get behind: celebrating the Asian American community in Los Angeles.
The strategy seems to have worked, at least on the big-name celebrities and models who participated in the event.
Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, and Amelia Gray Hamlin were among the show's A-list runway walkers, while Coi Leray, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Real Housewives stars Lisa Rinna and Erika Jayne sat front row.
Also in attendance were rappers Gunna and Bia, Euphoria actor Chloe Cherry, DJ Peggy Gou, K-pop star CL (whom Wang dressed for last year's Met Gala), model Behati Prinsloo-Levine, and TikTok star Noah Beck.
While the majority of attendees didn't appear to receive backlash for supporting Wang, fans took to the comments section of Cherry and Ambrosio's Instagram to express their disappointment.
"Girl we love u but Al*xander W*ng is not it," someone commented on Cherry's post.
"So sad to see that you’re working with a know predator," another wrote on Ambrosio's. "I stand with sexual assault victims, not against them."
The show is Wang's latest attempt to recapture fashion's good graces, a return to the fold that Business of Fashion reported on — and quoted Highsnobiety in — last week.
Much like Rihanna's Wang-designed maternity 'fit, the crowd at Wang's show last night suggests glitterati have forgotten the designer's predatory behavior. But convenient amnesia is a privilege Wang's accusers simply don't have.
