Designer Alexander Wang, whose work is commonly seen on the likes of Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, just lately discovered himself within the headlines for much much less fascinating causes. Wang is dealing with a number of sexual assault allegations, with victims taking to TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, to element the designer’s reportedly predatory and substance-fueled habits.
Allegations have been first made by mannequin Owen Mooney in a sequence of TikToks, describing a 2017 incident the place he was groped by Wang in a packed NYC nightclub. Mooney’s account went viral after being shared on Instagram by Shit Mannequin Administration (SMM) and later, vogue corridor monitor Weight loss program Prada.
FOUL FASHION — Nameless people with related tales — each private and anecdotal — have since come ahead, both replying to SMM or Weight loss program Prada’s Instagram posts and tales. The allegations vary from Wang groping the person to Wang drugging or forcing party-goers to get drunk and go to “after-parties” with him. There are additionally repeat allegations of victims, together with a number of trans girls, being groped or having their our bodies or genitals uncovered by Wang. Many accounts say Wang slipped them MDMA with out their information.
Weight loss program Prada outlines in its submit that Wang, a infamous party-goer himself, has constructed his model on an “something goes” mentality. The designer has created “stroll of disgrace” impressed campaigns and infrequently displays arduous partying in his collections, which featured headbands emblazoned with “Wangover” and “Celebration Animal” in SS18. In 2017, Wang made R. Kelly one of many faces of his SS17 marketing campaign, regardless of the quite a few assault allegations towards the musician.
In late 2019, rapper and former Wang muse Azealia Banks shared nameless accounts she had been despatched on her Instagram tales, and whereas the originals have been deleted, the screenshots nonetheless flow into on Twitter. A fast Twitter search, actually, yields many extra tweets detailing related habits from the designer, some relationship again a number of years. Although nonetheless simply allegations at this level, the sheer variety of tales towards Wang is telling.
Shit Mannequin Administration identified that male mannequin‘s tales are sometimes not given sufficient consideration, whereas Mooney shared a few of the backlash he’s already acquired. “Because of this individuals are nervous to share their tales of sexual predators,” he captioned a narrative, exhibiting a remark accusing him of ousting Alexander Wang in an try to “acquire clout.”
As Weight loss program Prada places it, Wang is a “darling of the trade with a number of accolades,” however he’s entered a brand new age of accountability. The designer is now the most recent in a rising quantity of influential vogue and leisure personalities which have been uncovered on-line, as victims proceed to bravely step ahead with their tales.
