It's easy to get anything personalized these days — you can special order a nameplate necklace through the comfort of an Instagram ad, have a tailor embroider your name on your denim jacket, or have your initials painted into your nail art. The possibilities are endless, but in the case of Alexander Wang, he one-upped everyone by reintroducing the personalized braid.
During the designer's Resort 2019 show on Sunday, top model Binx Walton walked the runway with an impressive set of cornrows done by braider Tasha Miles. From the front, it looked like your average, intricately-done plaits — but from the side, Miles used her handiwork to braid Binx's name out. Now, of course, name braids are hardly a new innovation. We saw them back in the '80s and they're still a favorite among the younger set. But with the help of Miles' artistry and Wang's vision, we'll probably be seeing many of these takes this summer.
In an Instagram post, Miles explained that Redken Global Creative Director Guido Palau, the show's key hairstylist, requested two braids on Walton. The skilled artist (who's based in Brooklyn) could have easily done a pair of three-strand braids and called it a night. But armed with a handwritten writing sample from Wang himself, along with a Red Stripe beer, Walton created art. Walton's 'do, along with other standout looks of the night — like tousled, unstructured waves, bandana headbands, and cornrows with shapes — were a testament to the theme of the evening: Wang's American story. "I wanted to find a new way to express inclusivity and create a new narrative of what that might look like," Wang told Harper's Bazaar after the show. And with a lineup that included a variety of ethnicities, the designer's off to a good start.