Celebration of Alexander Wang’s Collaboration with H&M

“I’m not really an athlete, and I go to the gym very  minimally,” laughed Alexander Wang in an anteroom before the runway debut of his Alexander Wang x H&M collaboration last night, way way way up at Manhattan’s Armory on the Hudson. “But I still wear sweatpants and track jackets basically all the time!”

Alexander Wang was getting at the overarching informant of his capsule: gym clothes that is, threads entirely workout-appropriate but also, possibly, for those who prefer La Esquina over Equinox.

And if one needed proof that the activewear-wherever-you-are craze continues at full stop, they needn’t have looked further than the catwalk: Out stormed a militia of models du jour (including some gents, like Clark Bockelman and Edward Wilding), borderline sprinting in their Neoprene jackets, WANG-stitched beanies, and compression knit crop-tops. It was well done, and smart of the designer to capitalize on a moment that still feels relevant, or at least salable. (It was also just plain fun to watch.)

Once the show ended, the revelry, like so many Wang events before it, kicked off. A pop-up shop saw the likes of Karlie Kloss (who walked the show) and Ellen von Unwerth piling on Alexander Wang x H&M goods at full tilt. Guests, fans, and friends including Ryan Korban, Sofía Sanchez Barrenechea (in cool tweed Chanel trainers), Solange Knowles, Mary J. Blige, and Jessica Chastain all mingled over Stella Artois and champagne in the auditorium. And then, just after 10:00 p.m., the night’s second heavy hitter graced the stage: Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott. People were psyched.

“Put your phones away!” said a sassy (and correct) Elliott, cutting off her DJ and her dancers. With enough hyping, she eventually brought the crowd back from Instagram-land to the dancehall, revisiting such classics as “Pass That Dutch” and “Get Ur Freak On.” With her waist-length hair, crystal-embroidered Alexander Wang x H&M parka, and put-it-down braggadocio, Elliott was the perfect embodiment of the partnership’s ethos: Back in the day, she once became famous for wearing Adidas track suits wherever she went. Work it.