Balenciaga Confirms Split With Alexander Wang

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It's official: Balenciaga confirmed this week's rumor that designer Alexander Wang won't continue on with the brand. WWD reports that Balenciaga released a statement saying, "Balenciaga and Alexander Wang today announce their joint decision not to renew their contract beyond its initial term." The Balenciaga show on October 2nd for Paris Fashion Week will cap off Wang's tenure as creative director.

The reasons for the split weren't detailed, but Wang's statement about his departure seems to track with whispers that he wanted to turn his attention entirely to his own line. "It’s been an incredible experience to work with a couture house in Paris. I am honored to have had the opportunity to work for this historical maison. I would like to thank the brilliant team at Balenciaga for their collaboration and for what we have accomplished together, and I am looking forward to taking my own brand to its next level of growth," Wang said. Meanwhile, WWD reports that Alexander Wang's newest flagship store for his own brand will open in London tomorrow. The three-floor Mayfair location is the 25th Alexander Wang store and the brand's largest outpost yet.

.@BALENCIAGA pic.twitter.com/3iZyxp2owU

— Alexander Wang, Inc. (@AlexanderWangNY) July 31, 2015