Alexander Wang has responded to the sexual misconduct allegations

There's been a new development in the story starring the American designer Alexander Wang and the allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct made against him. The accusations and the stories of unpleasant encounters with the designer, founder of the eponymous brand, had been circulating since last December, first on TikTok and later on Instagram, where Diet Prada became the first media outlet to talk about the story. As the days went by, more and more accusers came forward, models or professionals in the sector, men and trans, who had accused the designer of sexual misconduct.

Last January, in an interview with The Guardian, Wang denied any kind of accusation, calling them grotesque and baseless, today he seems to have changed his version. If just a few weeks ago the designer spoke of "claims wrongfully amplified by social media accounts infamous for posting defamatory material from undisclosed and/or anonymous sources with zero evidence or any fact-checking whatsoever", yesterday Wang took to Instagram to post a new statement. In the post, we read: "A number of individuals have come forward recently to raise claims against me regarding my past personal behaviour. I support their right to come forward, and I’ve listened carefully to what they had to say. It was not easy for them to share their stories, and I regret acting in a way that caused them pain. While we disagree on some of the details of these personal interactions, I will set a better example and use my visibility and influencer to encourage others to recognise harmful behaviours. Life is about learning and growth, and now that I know better, I will do better.” 

Wang's statement shortly follows a New York Magazine article that featured other stories describing the designer's harmful behaviour. While Diet Prada and the likes of BoF and The New York Times have been following the story from the beginning, the story hasn't had such a profound impact on the fashion industry. Wang, well known also for the after parties and the nightlife linked to his brand was linked by friendships to a huge number of top models, influencers, actors, artists, the best of the world show biz. In recent months, none of these people wanted to comment on the story, rather remaining silenced on the matter, although many of them were the first to show solidarity and commitment to the Time's Up and #MeToo movements. Many have written that it's much easier to believe the allegations against someone like Weinstein, who has the physique du rôle of the prototype of a person accused of sexual harassment, but it seems difficult that someone with Wang's angelic face could have done what he's accused of. Even more, the industry and the media world, in general, seem to have a hard time believing and reporting on incidents of harassment if they've been experienced by men - gay or straight, it doesn't matter. 

Ten of the men who shared their experience with Wang decided to be represented by Lisa Bloom, a renowned Los Angeles attorney who had previously represented Harvey Weinstein, as well as former President Trump. Bloom wrote on Twitter that her clients have met Wang, and it's unclear whether the legal action against Wang will be pursued.