Wes Gordon Talks Glamour, Red-Carpet Gowns And 40 Years Of Carolina Herrera
As the renowned New York label celebrates its milestone birthday, creative director WES GORDON tells GRACE COOK about the joy of dressing up again, the fantasy of fashion, and why he won’t be designing sweatpants any time soon
It’s been quite the month for Wes Gordon. When we speak via Zoom from his office in Manhattan’s midtown, he’s fresh from a whirlwind of sartorial highs, including dressing Karlie Kloss in a striking red-rose-inspired dress for the Met Gala, Alicia Keys for the VMAs, and being honored by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Perhaps more significantly, however, he’s just wrapped his SS22 show at New York Fashion Week and unveiled the 40th birthday collection for Carolina Herrera, the famed New York brand he has helmed creatively since 2018.
“It was so exciting,” says Gordon of the show that marked a return to New York Fashion Week’s full schedule since the pandemic began. “We had to wait 18 months to do a show in person with an audience, and this was the 40th anniversary of Herrera, which was so thrilling,” adds the designer, who studied at Central Saint Martins in London and launched his own label to much acclaim shortly after graduating. “I’ve established my own brand codes and identity for my hero woman, so I was able to celebrate our anniversary by referencing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going,” he says.
Paying homage to the namesake designer’s bold opulence with an ’80s-infused collection that riffed on her earliest designs, Gordon blended this aesthetic with his own need for practicality. Fitted bodices on magenta-colored midi dresses and sweeping monochromatic gowns were crafted without boning, but remained just as flattering to the female form. “Women today live a very different life to that of their mothers and grandmothers,” he notes – a precursor, perhaps, to the fact that all his pieces are crafted to be lightweight, easy to care for, and are laced with stretch for added comfort. Indeed, his designs may rule the party realm, but a need for utility is prevalent in his choices at every turn. “There’s an ease and a lifestyle component to everything we do, whether it’s a ballgown, a cocktail dress or a cotton shirt,” he says. “Otherwise, it becomes a costume.”
“There’s so much stuff in the world already; there’s so much darkness and things we can’t control. I want to create pieces that bring beauty; that are bold and vibrant – they have to have integrity and bring joy to the world
”Wes Gordon
This natural awareness of women’s wardrobes likely stems from the fact he spent his early years riffling through his mother’s closet. “I was four years old and in my mom’s closet every day telling her what she had to wear to work,” he laughs. “For fear of me having a tantrum when she needed to walk out of the door, she agreed. She probably kept a second wardrobe in her car.”
This razor-sharp vision and early gravitation to fashion is perhaps surprising given Gordon’s upbringing. Raised in Atlanta, there wasn’t much of a fashion industry for him to be inspired by, nor mentors to usher him towards his calling. And yet he found a way, “begging” a local seamstress who ran an alterations shop to give him sewing lessons, and “devouring” fashion tomes. He also watched John Galliano’s couture shows online, despite the “very slow, buffering speed on dial-up internet,” he remembers with a smile. “Twice a year, I would just absorb all that magic.” Fast-forward to 2018, and Carolina Herrera – established in 1981 and renowned for creating ethereal, dramatic gowns worn by the likes of Jackie O and Michelle Obama – was a natural fit.
“My hero woman wants clothes that make her unforgettable,” Gordon says of his designs, which often feature bold colors and patterns. Party pieces for fall include cherry-red, box-pleated shift dresses with powder-pink inserts, and sweetheart-bodice, puffed-sleeve gowns crafted from polka-dot-studded silks that channel Cinderella on the dance floor. “There’s so much stuff in the world already; there’s so much darkness and things we can’t control. I want to create pieces that bring beauty; that are bold and vibrant – they have to have integrity and bring joy to the world.”
“We are in an era of celebrating our individuality. Now is the time to celebrate what makes you special
”Wes Gordon
He says the pandemic has refocused his vision for who he is as a designer, and what the brand represents at this 40-year mark – resulting in a collection that’s smaller and more considered than those seen in previous seasons. “It’s given us a chance to pause and think, ‘What is our customer coming to us for?’,” he says. “Whether the piece is a knit tank top or a ballgown, they have to be totally true to who I am as a designer.” And despite there being no parties or events for the past 18 months, he’s never questioned his integrity – or been tempted to design sweatpants. “We are in an era of celebrating our individuality,” he says. “Now is the time to celebrate what makes you special. My dream is designing clothes that make you feel like the most empowered, beautiful, fabulous version of yourself.” Karlie Kloss can testify to the fact that he is doing just that.
“My dream is designing clothes that make you feel like the most empowered, beautiful, fabulous version of yourself
”Wes Gordon
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