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There was a palpable sense of ‘good vibes’ when Wes Gordon unveiled his latest outing as creative director of Carolina Herrera in Manhattan this morning. Inspired by the designer’s favourite childhood book, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ‘The Secret Garden’, the brand’s Spring Summer ’23 collection was a proverbial explosion of colour, print, and remarkably sumptuous materials. Staged in the ballroom at the Plaza Hotel, where the brand’s namesake once staged a show of her own in the 1980s, Gordon set about creating a “secret garden” of his own in the legendary New York locale, replete with a joy-making Barbara Streisand soundtrack and a rare runway cameo from supermodel Karlie Kloss.
S/S ’23 opened with a billowing floral-printed skirt in silk chiffon, styled with a cotton striped blouse with billowing sleeves. It set the tone for a collection that married eveningwear staples with a more understated, effortless sensibility. Off-the-shoulder gowns were modernised with chunky belts, statement slits at the leg, and cut-out details at the waist. The daywear offering was equally compelling—perfectly cut cigarette pants, and cotton garbadine trench coats with delicate peony and tea rose motifs. “The secret comes from the injections of black and the touches of the black accessories, giving it that little bit of mystery and sensuality,” explained Gordon to Reuters. Kloss, the face of Herrera’s ‘Good Girl’ fragrance, made a rare return to the runway, joining Stella Maxwell, Abby Champion, and Precious Lee. The latter closed the show in the collections’ pièce de résistance—a sleeveless evening gown made with cascading layers of soft black tulle.
35-year-old Gordon has gone from strength to strength during his five-year tenure at Carolina Herrera, quietly establishing a vision for the storied New York brand that feels both modern and relevant. Perhaps it’s because he has such a strong sense of the importance of joy—”that sense of joy is what our clients come to us for,” he told press backstage—an essential ingredient during a cultural moment often defined by uncertainty. It’s practically impossible to look at his vibrant, unapologetically glamorous creations and not smile. It’s a special brand of magic that Carolina Herrera herself—she was sat in the front row this morning, proudly cheering her successor on—first created when she began dressing the Park Avenue elite in the 1980s. Long may it continue.
