A Closer Look at Alexander Wang's Lounge Furniture Collaboration with Poltrona Frau

Alexander Wang is rapidly becoming one of fashion’s most untouchable icons. With a global brand to his name and Creative Director of Balenciaga on his resume, the 31-year-old designer now commands international attention for any new venture he undertakes. Yet despite the added pressure, Wang remains fearless, continually pushing into new and unfamiliar territory. Here we take a look at his latest project - a one-off furniture collection created in partnership with legendary Italian label Poltrona Frau. The collection consists of two beanbag chairs and a trunk bar, items which Wang selected specifically for their “banal,” everyday bearing. In reference to the beanbag, Wang stated, “I like to recontextualize what is banal, what is luxurious. To make it with Poltrona, that just completely changes it. And yet at the end of the day, it’s still a beanbag chair.” Wang’s furniture fully embraces the designer’s own iconic style – both the beanbags ($8,800 each) and the trunk ($18,500) are draped in monochrome matte black leather (with the beanbags getting a shearling option) and finished with solid brass accents. The overall look manages to gracefully oscillate between images of dorm rooms and art galleries, while the craftsmanship and high-quality materials courtesy of Poltrona add an arresting layer of class. Wang explained how he approached the collaboration with Poltrona:

Poltrona Frau is very classic and traditional, it’s all about the quality and the precision, and I really wanted to bring some friction to it, and think about how to challenge this idea working within their structure and with what they’re used to doing.

Wang has stated he has no plans to pursue furniture design full-time, but maintains a strong predilection towards exploring new mediums – a subtle hint of what may still be forthcoming from the mind of Wang.