H&M host the New York fashion ‘party of the year’

FASHION high street powerhouse H&M teamed with world’s hottest designer Alexander Wang to host the hottest party of the year and Melissa Hoyer was inside the exclusive bash.

THE Armory at the Hudson - a brand new sporty indoor track and field in Harlem - was the perfect backdrop New York’s “party of the year”.

“I think everyone is going to be blown away what we have in store for you guys,” designer Alexander Wang warned earlier in the day. “It’s going to be fully interactive and non-stop energy.”

And he was right.

The New York based designer has been secretly collaborating with $24 billion company H&M for nine months on a sporty line which lands in Australia on November 6 and launched it to the delight of over 1000 guests at the sporty venue tonight.

Models bolted around a gigantic, field-like runway as they showed off his affordable collection of ‘performance-inspired’ fashion.

VIP guests included Wang (of course), Dakota Fanning, Jessica Chastain, Justin Theroux, Mary J Blige, Kate Mara and Solange Knowles while Missy Elliot took to the stage for an awesome set.

Artist Sharaya J performs onstage at the Alexander Wang X H&M Launch on October 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for H&M)

(L-R) Alexander Wang, Sharaya J, and Solange Knowles pose backstage at the Alexander Wang X H&M Launch on October 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for H&M)

After the fast and furious runway show guests were allowed to ‘shop’ the pieces they had just seen on the runway. The backstage ‘pop-up’ shop went off with most guests acting like they were at the Boxing Day sales.

Wang told news.com.au that he always wanted to try his hand at performance and active wear.

“I felt it was a genre of clothing that wasn’t discriminatory by price point. It doesn’t matter if you’re a luxury customer or designer customer, everyone I know works out, is active, is running around and can have a usage for these pieces. I thought that was an interesting idea to start with.”

(L-R) Actors Dakota Fanning, Eddie Redmayne, Kate Mara attend the Alexander Wang X H&M Launch on October 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for H&M)

“I love this idea of ‘sports at night’,” he said.

“I like the versatility of clothes that if you’re going out and going dancing, you can sweat as well.”

​With the entire fashion world having turned to a ‘sporty’ state of mind, the irony is the designer doesn’t even do any sport himself.

“I wear sports clothes because they’re comfortable. I feel confident in them,” he said. “I feel like I can run around.”

H&M’s Margareta van den Bosch called the garments “timeless” while Vogue’s Sally Singer said the magic of them was that they didn’t stay in store for long. “All of the rest of fashion is long churning. These things are like magical puffs that come up. That’s part of the genius of it!”

Guests who attended were treated to a pop-up shop.

Actress Jessica Chastain attends the Alexander Wang X H&M Launch on October 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for H&M)

As for any specific fashion ideas for the Australian market Wang says he doesn’t know of any in the works.

‘I think it was more just making sure we have things for colder climates and things for warmer climates.”

“For people who live on the other side of the equator, there’s sports bras, crop tops, things that are much lighter.”

We can’t wait!

Follow Melissa on Instagram & Twitter @melissahoyer

Melissa Hoyer was a guest of H&M to the launch of the Alexander Wang & H&M show in New York

(L-R) Solange Knowles, Missy Elliott, Margareta van den Bosch, and Alexander Wang pose backstage at the Alexander Wang X H&M Launch on October 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for H&M)