With a skyscraper’s-eye view of the Financial District and East River, Wes Gordon showed a Carolina Herrera collection Monday morning that was about architecture and arch glamour.
There was no better example of his vision for fall 2024 than the taxicab yellow and black minidress with pleated power sleeves on Tuesday’s WWD cover. “Look, look, you can see inside the sleeves, it’s the idea of a cone shape,” he said during a preview, marveling at the construction of the vertical pleats.
Ditto on the diva drama for a pair of black ruffle party pants that seemed ready to cha-cha, though the mood of the show was far too serious for that.
“Even moments that are dramatic are quite disciplined and controlled,” Gordon said.
The collection was indeed quite structured in a 1930s-meets-1980s way. The words “chic severity” came to mind looking at the winged sleeves and strict pencil skirts on little black dresses, and stiff conical skirts on ball gowns. Here were lots of options for the drama-loving (and disciplined) red carpet set.
But Gordon also wanted to dress his woman for the everyday, in a sleeveless, zip-front, hourglass-shaped tunic in selvedge denim with matching trousers, a black-and-white trench with grosgrain-covered buttons or perhaps wide belted tweed Bermuda shorts and a white Herrera blouse. These are still clothes that take commitment.
Gordon has developed a unique color sense for the house, which is always a joy to see, mixing unexpected bold and soft shades, as on a look that paired a black skinny pant with blush cummerbund, sheer fig-hued turtleneck and red patent leather shoes, for example.
“The conversation between the four colors is the drama,” he said. “I wanted this season to be a celebration of the idea that beauty is strength — clean, confident and focused.”
Roger that.
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