Just two months after dismissing a number of sexual assault and misconduct allegations made against him as “baseless and grotesquely false,” Alexander Wang is sharing a different message about the matter — one that includes an acknowledgement that he caused his accusers "pain" and that he now regrets it.
The A-list fashion designer, known for outfitting stars like Kim Kardashian West, Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson, took to Instagram Monday to explain what prompted his new perspective.
“A number of individuals have come forward recently to raise claims against me regarding my past personal behavior,” he explained in the all-text post. “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.”
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The 37-year-old, who has long had a reputation for celebrating New York nightlife with his devotion to dance clubs and knack for throwing eccentric parties of his own, became the focus of a series of sexual misconduct claims that spread across social media late last year.
Owen Mooney, a British model, shared his story on TikTok, alleging that Wang, whom he initially referred to only as a “really famous fashion designer,” sexually assaulted him on the dance floor of a “packed” nightclub in 2017.
After that, two anonymous fashion industry watchdog accounts on Instagram, @DietPrada and @S---ModelMgmt, began compiling additional allegations from a variety of sources on social media.
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In a response to TODAY at the time, Wang issued a statement via a representative, saying, "Over the last few days, I have been on the receiving end of baseless and grotesquely false accusations. These claims have been 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.”
But in his post Monday, he changed his tone towards his accusers.
“While we disagree on some of the details of these personal interactions, I will set a better example and use my visibility and influence to encourage others to recognize harmful behaviors,” Wang wrote. “Life is about learning and growth, and now that I know better, I will do better.”
Victims’ rights lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represents several men who made claims against Wang and his company, tweeted a response to Wang’s statement on Monday.
“We have met with Alexander Wang and his team,” Bloom wrote. “My clients had the opportunity to speak their truth to him and expressed their pain and hurt. We acknowledge Mr. Wang’s apology and we are moving forward.”
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