Kim Kardashian and Cardi B Trek to Bushwick for “Alexander Wang, Bitch”
When you think of Bushwick, Brooklyn, a few things come to mind: burgeoning art galleries, warehouse parties, Roberta’s Pizza.
Kim Kardashian and a slew of fashion editors clad in houndstooth blazers and proper trousers, however, is not traditionally among them. But that all changed on Saturday night, thanks to Alexander Wang.
For the second time in three years, the designer had drawn the steadfast-Manhattan-centric fashion crowd to Brooklyn, and past 9pm, no less,- for his spring 2018 show, held at an industrial lot deep in Bushwick.
Despite the late call time and unfamiliar venue (not to mention another high profile conflicting show at the much more comfortable midtown location), the show drew a crowd, to say the least. There were the aforementioned editors, yes, who lined up inside barricades that lined a secluded New York block (aka it was outside) on a brisk September night, placated by handsome waiters offering Shake Shack burgers for the wait. Then there were the locals who pooled the streets and lined rooftops to catch a glimpse of the festivities.
And, of course, there were also the celebs: Sofia Richie, Nicola Peltz, Pom Klementieff, Selah Marley, and Kris Jenner and Kardashian, who also stood with the masses outside, though she did have her own sanctioned barricade section.
If Kardashian’s very blonde presence wasn’t enough of an indication that Kendall Jenner would be walking the show, there was also the fact that Wang had already staged his show twice over in the hours prior. Call it a gimmick or brilliant bit of social marketing, but the designer had loaded his model crew onto a party bus that traveled throughout Manhattan, holding two rogue, public shows downtown before heading over to Brooklyn.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner attend the Alexander Wang Spring 2018 show. Photo by Getty.
The bus, blaring hip hop, rolled up to the venue just before 10:30 p.m., and one by one came out his wang squad, new and old: Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Bella Hadid, Anna Ewers, Suki Waterhouse, Joan Smalls, et al.
As is customary, the designer closed the show with a jovial sprint down the run, signifying one thing: it was party time.
But not so fast. Though the entrance was mere steps beyond the runway, and wristbands had already been dispensed, getting in was possibly harder than getting on that party bus with a Hadid and Jenner. To describe the scene does not do it justice. There was pushing, there was shoving, there were lots of empty threats to just leave—certainly nothing unheard of in fashion week experiences, but still not something ideal to deal with on a Saturday night at 11 p.m.
So when you finally got in was it fun? Of course it was—this is Alexander Wang we are talking about, a man who has built his brand on having good time as much as he has on an ankle boot with cut-out heels.
Alexander Wang takes a bow at his Spring 2018 runway show. Photo by Getty.
At Wangfest, there are no flutes of Champagne and passed mini quiches. There are pouches of Don Julio cocktails hanging on Wang-branded lanyards. There are Red Bull slushies. There is a kiddie pool full of Budweiser. There’s an ice-luge. There’s a candle-lit table full of donuts and custom black grilled cheese sandwiches.
“I want to thank my team for working tirelessly, because without them you wouldn’t have free shit to eat and drink here,” Wang proclaimed, taking the mic just before midnight. “I also want to thank all of our fans who slept in front of our store last night. I don’t know whether to be very thankful or to be scared of you.”
Hey, who could blame them? Wang famously stocks his show with a series of performers and this night was no different. A$AP Ferg kicked off the evening, before handing the mic over to Cardi B (the night would eventually cap off with Ja Rule and Ashanti. Have you heard that 2000s nostalgia is very in?). Cardi was wearing Wang, of course. But perhaps best to let her explain. “I got f–king Alexander Wang on my body, bitch. This is the winter collection, bitch. Look at my boots motherf–ker. Alexander Wang, bitch.”
Yes, that just about sums up the night.
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