Alexander Wang wins 2009 Swiss Textile Award

Congratulations, Alexander Wang! But one question: how do you have time to design clothes when you are so busy accepting awards?

In case you haven’t heard, the New York-based designer is hot on a winning streak after taking home the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund last November, being the 2009 CFDA Swarovski Womenswear winner in June, and most recently, beating out some stiff competition at the 2009 Swiss Textile Awards.

The Swiss Textile Awards are basically the pinnacle of Europe’s Fashion Awards, and awarded to one talented designer each year- past winners include Halston designer Marios Schwab in 2007, and Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte in 2008.

So besides extreme bragging rights, what does did Mr. Wang win?
Winning the Swiss Textile Awards means that you receive a prize of 100,000 Euros (about $150,000), 10% of which is to be spent on Swiss fabric, while the remaining portion is to be used on the next collection as the designer sees fit.

This win for the New York-based designer marks the second-time and second-year in the row that a U.S. House has won the award (the ladies of Rodarte were the first), and Mr. Wang had to beat out some seriously stiff competition. Contenders included the UK-based line Erdem, Michelle Obama’s favorite, Thakoon, and French couture star Alexis Mabille, as well as Ohne Titel, Peter Pilotto.

The panel of twelve judges (one of which was Isabel Toldeo) afterwards noted how difficult of a decision the first-place win was, but ultimately went with Wang because of his “cool commercialism”.

The San Francisco native and Parsons School of Design graduate launched his first collection in 2007, and his rise to the top of the fashion industry can now, only be described in one word: metoric.

Below are some of our favorite Alexander Wang looks from his Spring RTW 2010 Collection