‘These accusations are untrue and are fueled by opportunistic motives’: Alexander Wang slams sexual assault claims from multiple male models in email to staff as Lisa Bloom says she’ll represent accusers
- Fashion designer Alexander Wang, 37, sent a memo to his staff on Monday
- In the memo, Wang addressed the allegations of sexual assault against him
- Wang told staff that he ‘will do everything in my power to guide us through this process with the utmost transparency’
- He then wrote that he is making it his ‘priority to prove these accusations are untrue and are fueled by solely opportunistic motives’
- Wang has been accused of sexual assault and drugging drinks with MDMA
- Accusers claim his ‘predatory’ behavior has been open secret fashion industry
- It was also revealed Monday, that Lisa Bloom will represent some alleged victims
Alexander Wang shared a memo with staffers on Monday in light of the recent allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted male models, claiming that he has never taken advantage of others, as it’s revealed that Lisa Bloom will be representing some of the alleged victims.
Numerous claims have poured in after model and graphic designer Owen Mooney took to TikTok to share his alleged encounter with Wang in 2017, describing how he ‘froze’ when Wang groped his crotch during a concert in New York City.
Several others came forward with similar allegations, prompting the fashion designer to release a statement denying the ‘grotesquely false’ claims last week.
In a memo seen by DailyMail.com and sent to his staff on Monday, Wang wrote: ‘I wanted to take the time to write to you all and thank each and every one of you who have been standing by me and the brand after the difficult past few days.
‘You are my community, my priority and I am fully aware that the recent news has also affected you. I hope this note that I am sending before we post on company socials later today, helps to answer some of your questions and alleviate some concerns.’
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Alexander Wang shared a memo with staffers on Monday in light of the recent allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted male models, claiming that he has never taken advantage of others, as it’s revealed that Lisa Bloom will represent the alleged victims
In a memo, seen by DailyMail.com, and sent to his staff (store pictured) on Monday, Wang wrote that he remains ‘committed’ to his employees and his brand ‘and will do everything in my power to guide us through this process with the utmost transparency’
Wang said that he remains ‘committed’ to his employees and his brand ‘and will do everything in my power to guide us through this process with the utmost transparency’.
‘Firstly, I’d like to take the opportunity to connect directly with the people who have helped me grow this brand into what it is today and address the recent false, fabricated and mostly anonymous accusations against me.
‘While I have always been active in my social life, frequently attending various industry gatherings, parties and concerts where drugs and alcohol were present- but contrary to what has been said, I have never taken advantage of others in a sexual manner or forced anything on anyone without consent.
‘I also have never abused my status or fame for my own benefit. These baseless allegations were started on social media by sites which repeatedly disregarded the value and importance of evidence or fact checking,’ Wang said.
He then wrote that he is making it his ‘priority to prove these accusations are untrue and are fueled by solely opportunistic motives’.
‘It is important for people to speak up about and be heard but there is a need to ensure accusations are credible, so that we don’t harm these important causes. Our team is doing everything in its power to investigate these claims and we promise to remain honest and transparent throughout that process.
‘We are fortunate to have received an overwhelming amount of support over the last few days and are thankful to our staff, clients and industry peers for standing by our side at this time,’ he concluded.
Meanwhile, it was revealed on Monday that Lisa Bloom (pictured), will be representing the male models who have brought accusations against Wang
Last week, a 25-year-old man (pictured) who only wished to be identified as Nick explained to DailyMail.com how he met Wang at a club in Brooklyn in June of 2019. He claims that he was blacked out drunk and later woke up with Wang performing a sex act on him
The outpouring of claims came after model and graphic designer Owen Mooney (pictured) took to TikTok to share his alleged encounter with Wang in 2017, describing how he ‘froze’ when Wang allegedly groped his crotch during a concert in New York City
Meanwhile, it was revealed on Monday by Page Six that Lisa Bloom will be representing the male models who have brought accusations against Wang.
Bloom said she’s ‘proud’ to be representing some of the designer’s accusers.
‘The fashion industry is long overdue for a reckoning on its frequent, disturbing mistreatment of models. I’ve represented many alleging sexual misconduct in recent years, including against Paul Marciano, Bruce Weber and others,’ she told Page Six.
‘Models are not props, and they have the same rights to workplace respect as everyone else,’ she added.
Wang has been accused of sexual assault and spiking drinks with MDMA by multiple alleged victims who claimed Wang’s ‘predatory’ behavior was an open secret in the fashion industry for years.
Last week, a 25-year-old man who only wished to be identified as Nick explained to DailyMail.com how he met Wang at a club in Brooklyn in June of 2019.
He claims one night in August of that year when he hung out with Wang, the designer was ‘aggressive’ and performed sex acts on him while he was in a blacked out state, once in a packed club and later that night in an Uber.
The young man told DailyMail.com: ‘This is not something I wanted or something that I was going after and it should never have happened, in that way especially.
‘I’m really happy that someone did speak out about it because it made me realize my own situation was a lot different than what I had thought.
‘I think there was a lot of manipulation and I just kind of feel played. The whole #MeToo movement has been more around women and people don’t realize this can also happen to men, I being one of them. I think it’s a big wake up call to gay men.’
Nick, who was living in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn at the time, first met Wang at 3 Dollar Bill – a gay bar in East Williamsburg. He had gone to the venue with a friend when he ran into Wang.
Nick said: ‘I kind of noticed him, but I didn’t know it was him, but he kept kind of coming up to me and my friend and dancing with us.
‘Later in the night, he was getting a little bit more aggressive, like pulling me, but in the club that’s just kind of normal. So I didn’t really think that much of it.’
They exchanged contact details and Nick explained he thought Wang seemed ‘nice and normal’, but said ‘once we started hanging out with his friends, it was a lot different, it was a lot more aggressive.’
While Nick said he doesn’t believe his drink was spiked with MDMA as other accusers have claimed, he explained he was drinking heavily around Wang, so much so that he blacked out – the only time he’s ever done so.
He said: ‘Each time I was blacked out, I would come to consciousness, and he was doing something to me.’
Nick added: ‘I am not a heavy drinker in general, but for me to black out I think is very excessive.
‘When we would go out we would be at a table, so as soon as a drink would be finished a new one would already be there. It was honestly hard to keep track and then we’d be doing shots.’
While Nick said he doesn’t believe his drink was spiked with MDMA as other accusers have claimed, he explained he was drinking heavily around Wang, so much so that he blacked out – the only time he’s ever done so
Wang is known for his bubbly, carefree persona and counts supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid (right), Kendall Jenner, actress Zoe Kravitz (left) and singer Dua Lipa among his inner circle
It was this type of heavy drinking that would occur the next time Nick met up with Wang at a bar named Lola in the East Village on August 24, 2019 with Wang’s circle of friends.
DailyMail.com has seen texts and Instagram direct messages between Wang and Nick, with the designer encouraging Nick to meet him at various clubs.
In an exchange from August 24, 2019, Nick replies to Wang, asking where he’s at.
Wang gives Nick the address, saying ‘it’s fun’. When Nick agrees to come, Wang texts back: ‘Take a few shots and catch up with me.’
When he arrived at the venue, Wang had a private table. Nick explained people recognized Wang and tried to take pictures or join their table, adding he was slightly uncomfortable being in a situation where people were always looking their way.
Nick described a night of flowing drinks before he blacked out, and when he came to Wang was allegedly giving him a hand job while they were dancing.
He said: ‘I was shocked. I brushed him off, and he just laughed it off.’
Nick added: ‘I’m like next to all of his friends which were all women… so I’m kind of shocked that it was normal for them.’
The group club hopped that night, and Nick said he never really knew where he was after the initial bar.
He explained: ‘I really only go out in Brooklyn, so I didn’t know the areas that we were going out in the Lower East Side, because some were new to me.
‘I was really, really drunk. So once I realized I was not able to make it home alone because I was drinking too much, I asked Alex ”where are we? What area?” and he just wouldn’t tell me.’
It was after the third club that night when Nick said he became alert in an Uber and found Wang performing a sex act on him.
He said: ‘Again, I was blacked out and woke up to him giving me oral in the car. This time I was telling him, ”we are in a car!” His friends are also in the car, so that’s why it was so odd.’
Nick said: ‘I think there was a lot of manipulation and I just kind of feel played. The whole #MeToo movement has been more around women and people don’t realize this can also happen to men, I being one of them. I think it’s a big wake-up call to gay men’
DailyMail.com has seen texts and Instagram direct messages between Wang and Nick, with the designer encouraging him to meet him out at various clubs
But Nick said he believes this is normal behavior for Wang, who didn’t seem phased by his shock or upset when he was told to stop.
‘Each time he’s never really surprised. Even if I become alert and jump, realizing what’s happening he just acts like it’s normal,’ Nick said.
Due to his intoxicated state, Nick ended up crashing at Wang’s home, going straight to bed and leaving in the morning.
He explained: ‘I thought it was more a friendly vibe. I never wanted a romantic thing or anything like that. I never wanted anything sexual with him.
‘For me, I was thinking he’s really into me, with him being aggressive. I didn’t realize until reading other people’s experiences, it was something different on his side.’
The next time Nick saw Wang in fall of 2019, he describes a similar night to his previous encounters, flowing drinks and partying.
He said : ‘We drank a lot again, but he wasn’t doing anything as crazy, it was more or less the usual.’
The final time Nick said he saw Wang, was this June. He went over to his apartment in downtown Manhattan where they hung out, talked and watched TV.
While Nick said Wang tried to get cuddly with him and make a move, he brushed him off for the final time.
He said: ‘It wasn’t as aggressive as the other nights, but I also brushed it off, I was like ”all right, knock it off.”
‘I think he was becoming aware of that. I think he probably realized I didn’t want anything sexual, so there wasn’t really any point to hang out.’
Beyond the two instances when Nick was too intoxicated to consent, the two men never had a physical relationship, Nick said.
Various victims have maintained that Wang’s behavior had been something of an open secret for months, if not years.
Nick said he’s sharing his story because it’s been ‘eye-opening’ for him.
He said: ‘I thought what was happening was normal. The thing that’s so shocking about this, I felt all of this was normal until I started seeing other people’s stories and experiences and it sounded just like mine.
‘For gay men, this can be normal and it’s tolerated and no one really talks about it.’
Owen Mooney, a model and graphic designer, came forward with his story in a pair of TikTok videos that went viral on Monday. In the first video (left) Mooney alleged that he’d been ‘touched up’ by a ‘really famous designer’ while he and his friends were watching rapper CupcakKe perform at a club three years ago. He didn’t provide a name until the second video (right), after commenters guessed that it was Wang
The allegations against Wang went viral on Monday, when industry watchdog Sh*t Model Management posted stories from several different accusers on Instagram (pictured)
One alleged victim also claimed Wang had done the same ‘Molly water trick on me’, while another accused him of drugging two friends in 2014.
Wang’s representatives have denied Nick’s claims telling DailyMail.com: ‘The text messages that we have from this “Nick” character to our client tell a very different story than the one reported.’
‘Despite claiming that Alex sexually assaulted him twice in one night while he (Nick) was supposedly blacked out drunk, he has repeatedly and consistently reached out to Alex since the alleged incidents to invite him clubbing, asking him to hang out, smoke weed, and chill. Even as recently as last weekend, the guy was texting Alex happy birthday messages.’
Accusations against Wang made news after Owen Mooney’s account of his experience went viral and industry watchdog Sh*t Model Management (SMM) began sharing screenshots of allegations sent in by anonymous users.
In two TikTok videos, Mooney alleged that he’d been ‘touched up’ by a ‘really famous designer’ while he and his friends were watching rapper CupcakKe perform at a club three years ago.
He didn’t provide a name until the second video, after commenters guessed that it was Wang.
‘I was by myself at one point and this guy next to me obviously took at advantage of the fact that no one could f**king move,’ Mooney said.
‘And he just started touching me up. Like, fully up my leg, in my crotch. It made me freeze completely me because I was in so much shock.
‘Then I look to my left to see who it was and it was a really famous fashion designer and I just couldn’t believe that he was doing that to me.’
He described the incident as ‘really f**ked up’ and said he had to ‘slowly move away’ from the designer he branded a ‘sexual predator’ in his second video.
Another accuser Nick Ward claimed Wang ‘grabbed’ his crotch at a DJ event in Brooklyn in 2017.
‘As he was passing, he swung, squeezed me, and kept walking,’ Ward told Insider.
‘By the time I realized what happened, I just announced to my friend: ‘that guy just grabbed my d**k’ and they’re all like, ‘that was Alexander Wang.”
Ward first detailed the incident in a Twitter thread on September 11, 2017, which was shared on Instagram by the fashion account Diet Prada, which boasts more than 2.3 million followers.
One of the unnamed accusers who spoke to SMM claimed their friend, who is a trans man, had been riding in a limo with Wang after a party ‘a while ago’ when the designer offered him water and made sure he drank it all.
‘A few moments after, they noticed they were rolling and had been giving molly water,’ the anonymous person claimed.
‘This was a regular occurrence because a year after being told this story, I also heard other people confirm that they also got drugged on the way to any after party.’
Another alleged victim also claimed Wang had done the same ‘Molly water trick on me’, while a third accused him of drugging two friends in 2014.
Diet Prada asserted that allegations against Wang have been circulating for months if not years.
In its post the account shared screenshots from Instagram stories rapper Azealia Banks posted in 2019 which included anonymous allegations against Wang.
While Banks’ posts have since disappeared from her Instagram, they were screencapped and archived by Twitter users.
On Tuesday, fashion advocacy organization Model Alliance, released a statement in support of Wang’s accusers.
‘We at Model Alliance stand in solidarity with those who have shared accusations of sexual abuse by Alexander Wang,’ it said in an Instagram post.
‘Lets be clear: The fashion industry’s lack of transparency and accountability leaves all models vulnerable to abuse, regardless of their sex or gender identity.’
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