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It’s no coincidence that when Meghan Markle stepped out for her first black tie event after the birth of her daughter, Lillibet, she chose to wear a gown by Carolina Herrera. The look—red, satin, with a dramatic train—immediately sent the internet into a meltdown with its heady mix of old world glamour, modern Americana, and an almost palpable sense of optimism. In one simple move Markle proved a timeless sartorial maxim: if you want to show the world you’re unphased by negative energy, reach for a gown designed by Wes Gordon.
Markle will no doubt have marked down pieces from Carolina Herrera’s latest collection, which Gordon (the brand’s creative director) presented in New York City overnight. While some designers are using the fall winter ‘22 season as an opportunity to show hyper-wearable ‘day clothes’, Gordon leaned unapologetically into eveningwear, crafting bold, sculptural gowns in fresh shades of mango, magenta, and eggplant. “It’s about dressing for the joy it gives you,” Gordon said in a post-show interview. “The confidence in the art of beautiful clothes. She needs ease, that modernity, and that cool, but she also needs spectacular.”
To be spectacular, of course, requires a certain level of daring. And while some people are stepping confidently into ‘post pandemic’ life wrapped in their most eye-grabbing, OTT ensembles, others are still finding the idea of ‘dressing up’ challenging—terrifying, even. For Wes Gordon, he wants the fall winter ‘22 collection to represent a reset, the moment we decide to step together in the great unknown. “Bravery never goes out of fashion,” went the opening lines of his show notes, a quote from the writer William Thackeray. “Our clothes are bold, self-assured, and full-of-fire,” they continued.
If you’re still not sold on full-blown eveningwear (don’t worry you’ll get to see plenty of them on the red carpet come Oscar season, West Side Story star Ariana DeBose was among the FROW attendees), there was plenty of souped-up daywear to tickle your fancy. The opening look saw a sophisticated update on the ‘white shirt and cigarette trouser’ combo, courtesy of dramatic sleeves and a super-flattering high-waisted cut. Chic day dresses were affixed with embellishments that look like statement jewels, and knits were etched with oversized floral motifs for a touch of romance (the collection was presented on Valentine’s Day, after all).
It’s been 40 years since Carolina Herrera launched her namesake label—celebrations for this milestone event will be taking place throughout the year—and in the intervening years pieces bearing her name have been worn by bold, fearless, stylish women from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama. With Wes Gordon at the helm, it seems that trajectory is set to continue for many decades to come. The reason for this is simple, according to the man himself: “[These] are strong collections for strong women.” Indeed.
