PHENOM RISING

Your at-a-glance guide to the early days of Alexander Wang.

• Born and raised in San Francisco, Wang starts drawing dresses at age two. He shows his first collection at 15, as part of his brother’s wedding.

• He moves to New York at 19, studies fashion design at Parsons and interns at Teen Vogue and Marc Jacobs.

• He drops out of Parsons to launch his own line—six knitwear pieces—with his sisterin-law Aimie as his business partner. (She’s now the CEO of Alexander Wang.)

• After spotting one of his pieces, Diane von Furstenberg asks Wang to work for her. He turns her down.

• In 2007, he shows his first collection; the following year, Wang wins the CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund for Young Designers. Next up? Fame, fortune and worldwide acclaim.