After much speculation, Alexander Wang was named the new creative director at Balenciaga in December of last year. He's been at the brand for six months now and has presented a solid debut collection, even garnering the approval of the outspoken Cathryn Horn, who if we're being honest hasn't always been a fan of the designer. But it seems Wang almost didn't make the move to Balenciaga, initially turning down the offer made by Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault.
“My first reaction to [Pinault] was no,” he told Vogue. “I told him that I was so preoccupied with what I am doing with my own brand in New York, and I’ll be the most hated man in fashion!” Pinault was persistent though and flew Wang to Paris so he could have a look at Balenciaga's archives, maybe hoping it would inspire the young designer.
But Wang, still unconvinced, turned to a psychic for guidance. It was said psychic who told him it was fate; he should take the job. That and he made a list of pros and cons. “I felt that fear was driving my decision-making,” he said. “So I wrote down a list of pros and cons and asked myself, ‘What am I afraid of? The perception of failure? The perception of what people might think?’ I knew that what I wanted completely outweighed all of that.”
[via Fashionista]