Wang Off Duty

The designer Alexander Wang was famous for his partying. Now, he could become infamous.

- Angelina Chapin & Matthew Schneier

IN APRIL 2013, Prue McCallum, a recent Fashion Institute of Technology grad, ended up at the first of what would become one of New York’s most combustible Berlin-inspired raves. “Shade” was thrown by the nightlife impresarios Ladyfag and Seva Granik, whose parties brought together glittery club kids, serious techno heads, shirtless Chelsea twunks, and black-clad fashion-industry strivers. The 23-year-old had RSVP’d to a Facebook invitation with the location “TBA Day of Show” that led hundreds of people to a giant warehouse in East Williamsburg with red and blue lasers, neon lights, and glow-in-the-dark drinks. McCallum, who at the time identified as a cisgender gay man but now identifies as nonbinary, showed up ready to lose themselves in a set. They didn’t expect to brush shoulders with Alexander Wang.

Their meeting was accidental. McCallum had been on a mission to find a straight guy for their female friend and was quizzing strangers about which way they swung. On the dark dance floor, it was harder to make out exactly whom they were approaching. McCallum was starstruck—and slightly embarrassed—when they spun around to ask “Are you gay or straight?” and came face-to-face with one of their fashion idols. McCallum was obsessed with Balenciaga, where Wang was then the creative director. From what McCallum could see, Wang looked amused. “I’m straight,” he said cheekily—he isn’t—to which McCallum laughed and said, “So am I.” Then the playful banter took a turn. Wang said, “Let’s find out,” according to McCallum, and reached down their pants and groped McCallum’s genitals.