From The Straits Times    |

Wes Gordon has been treading lightly with the brand that Venezuelan socialite-turned-designer Carolina Herrera handed him the reins to last year.

For his first collection, Resort ’19, he opted for everyday cotton instead of heavier silks (the founder’s favourite) so that shirts, skirts and dresses would look softer, not stiff . For S/S ’19, he introduced miniskirts and a more exuberant palette. And for Pre-Fall ’19, he turned elegance on its head with a less uptight take on it.

It doesn’t mean that the American creative director isn’t sure-footed; he has worked alongside Herrera, his mentor, since March 2017, absorbing her DNA. But Gordon, like a lot of fashion designers now, wants to court the youthful with RTW that’s more relatable and adventurous. Unlike some of his colleagues, he also wants to respect the founder and her audience.

The 2.0 balance is finally struck at F/W ’19 with a strong showing of wear-at-any-time short, bright dresses, mostly with full sleeves, and special-occasion evening wear (which Herrera is
known for) that is now trapeze-shaped, billowing and carefree, not tailored to precision.

And that’s not even his strongest collection. What is: Resort ’20.

 

Photos: Carolina Herrera

 

This story was first published on Her World’s Aug 2019 issue.

 

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