ALEXANDER THE GREAT
THE PRINCE OF ACCESSORIES IS BACK AT IT AGAIN. ELLE CATCHES UP…
Alexander Wang teams up with Bulgari for a new collab.
“IT’S [FOR] the KIND OF WOMAN WHO is CURIOUS – a thrillseeker”
WHEN ALEXANDER WANG was tapped by Bulgari to reinterpret its Serpenti Forever bag, he had a specific type of person in mind: “Someone who is an alpha!” he quips. Wang’s signature sex appeal and youth-centric design ethos may seem an unexpected fit for a 135-year-old Italian high-jewellery brand, but he insists there are more similarities than meet the eye. “I think we both enjoy designing for a sinful woman,” he explains. “It’s the kind of woman who is curious – a thrillseeker.”
The bag collection, which was recently released to much fanfare during New York Fashion Week, features six styles – including a belt bag with a detachable handle and straps, a double-flap tote and a mini box shape made to emulate a jewellery box. “I wanted to approach this collaboration differently to the others I’ve done,” says Wang. “I wanted to focus on the notion of packaging as luxury, taking the key elements of the ‘purchase ceremony’ and highlighting them in the designs.”
The colour palette is a refined mix of black and white, with a refreshing hit of mint thrown in for good measure (the colour pays homage to a Bulgari scent that Wang’s mother wore when he was a child).
Hailey Bieber was picked to front the campaign. As a long-time Wang muse – remember that Met Gala exposed-thong moment? – she was a natural choice. “Hailey is great to work with,” Wang says. “She’s young, vibrant, classy – she really exemplifies the vibe of this collection.”