Hot and Covered...GQ; the Best New Menswear Designer!

GQ: CFDA
‘The Best New Menswear Designer in America!’
—2011

—And the Best New Menswear Designer Winner Is...

- Alexander Wang -

Fresh off the presses: Alexander Wang was just announced as GQ's Best New Menswear Designer. Alexander is the fifth designer to receive this honor, but it's not just about bragging rights.

There's also some money. A lot of it—$50,000 to be exact, to be used toward his line. In addition, like all of the finalists, he will receive a mentorship with Docker's, Bloomingdale's, and the editors of GQ and will also design a piece for a limited-edition Docker's capsule collection, which will be sold in Bloomingdale's locations in the fall and be featured in our September 2011 issue.

One more resounding round of applause for all this year's finalists and thank you to guest American designer judge Tommy Hilfiger. Check back here soon for a priceless OH SHIT! moment caught on camera just now when creative director Jim Moore presented the winner with the check.

UPDATE: Video of Alex being presented his prize; "I feel like you guys have... popped my cherry!"

report by GQ | photo: Eric Ray Davidson

***
—10 Essentials: Alexander Wang

Ten things that see the urban street-chic purveyor—and Best New Designer finalist—through his day


Photo: Ysa Perez

If you're as talented and dedicated as Alexander Wang—as in, you were designing your first collection your sophomore year of college and won a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award at the age of 24—it's probably good to keep the rest of your habits precisely no-fuss. "I don't want to say I'm locked down," says Wang, of living and working in Chinatown, "but it's easy, it's convenient, and it has the food I love." That might sound at odds with his wild creativity, but it's more a product of his focused attitude. The man knows what he likes: loose and easy looks with the perfect balance of disheveled refinement. He made a name for himself with his anti-fitted womenswear and the past year he's brought the same sensibility to his sharply casual men's line of slouchy tees and hoodies. Here he shows us what keeps his finely-tuned routine in check.

1. Bubble Tea
"I consume way too much for one person. There's a place called Ten Ren where I always go, around the corner from my office. I mainly go with the standard black bubble tea because I don't like the artificial tasting flavors that are usually offered. They're way too sweet for me."

2. T by Alexander Wang Classic T
"I love the way that T-shirts feel when you sleep in them and pull them on the next day. That's how I've tried to design mine. They sort of mold to your body. Thankfully, I can wear a tee to work every day and I do."

3. Emerica Reynolds shoes
"Black hoodie, black jeans, black shoes, and a tee—that's kind of like my uniform. These are a skate-style shoe, kind of like Vans, but the toe is a bit more articulated, the sole is thinner, and the materials are more luxe. It's the kind of thing that looks great with jeans, but that I also throw on with slacks for a black tie event."

4. Paris Sandwich Bakery Cafe
They have every kind of bánh mì sandwich that you could imagine. My favorite is the special, which is basically just a whole bunch of everything thrown in some bread."

5. Facials from Ling Skincare
"If my skin's bad that's all I can focus on, so I go here once a month. I first discovered it like eight years ago when I moved to New York, and it's kind of like my secret weapon. It's the one thing I need to stay sane."

6. T by Alexander Wang Men's Hoodie
"These hoodies are made of a heftier cotton—kind of stiffer and boxier, which is how I prefer them. In the winter, I always wear them with my overcoat."

7. Fresh green apple juice
"I try to eat an apple a day like they tell you to, but sometimes it's hard. My mornings are so full-on busy, so I like to get fresh-squeezed apple juice. It's a great breakfast on the go."

8. Blackstones hair salon
"I followed the owner, Joey, from when he used to work at Mudhoney. He tends to my coif. I always tell him to just go—it's very rare that I meet someone that I can just tell to trim it or take it shorter, but he's been with me from my shorter hair, to longer bangs, to when I grew out my hair. So at this point, I just trust him with whatever."

9. Astier de Villatte candles
"I discovered their shop when I was in Paris, and they just opened a little shop in ABC Home here in New York. Their scents were amazing, and all the candle holders are hand-blown glass. My favorite scent is called Mantes La Jolie. It's so fresh, minty, and crisp. I love it."

10. Die Antwoord
"Die Antwoord is a South African group whom I first saw live at Coachella last year. I think what's great about them is that you can't categorize their music. They're not just hip-hop, or electro, or dance. They do their own thing and have so much energy."

Read More 10 Essentials

.........................................................................................

"Fresh off the presses!"

the portastylistic