When tasked with taking over legacy brand Carolina Herrera, there are big shoes to fill. Wes Gordon, 32, is up for the challenge, becoming the new creative director for the fashion house.
Following Herrera’s final show at the helm last February, Gordon was named the beloved Venezuelan designer’s successor. Prior to the appointment, the fashion powerhouse and Gordon, who for several years designed his own line that was picked up by Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and Kirna Zabête, worked closely together. During the Jan. 18 Palm Beach Island Hospice Foundation’s Hospice Evening “Palm Beach Fashion Night,” taking place at the Flagler Museum, Gordon will present his reimagined resort and spring 2019 lines. We spoke with the youthful designer ahead of his South Florida appearance.
Congratulations on this achievement. What has it been like taking over a label with such a loyal customer base?
It’s a dream come true for me. I love going to work every day, and I’m so excited for the future of Herrera. We’re a house known and loved for our distinctly feminine glamour, and I definitely intend to reinforce that aesthetic. Our goal is to make a woman feel her most beautiful.
What’s your vision for the brand, and how do you plan to achieve this?
Carolina Herrera is all about color. I want to make clothes that make women smile and dance. There’s a lot of uncertainty and darkness in the world—we need joy wherever we can find it.
Tell us about the resort and spring 2019 collections.
When I designed these two collections, I thought about the women I’m lucky enough to know. My friends, mothers, executives, artists, travelers. Modern women. I wanted to make sure these collections had pieces that could speak to all of them.
What should we keep an eye out for?
Bold prints. Bold colors. Bold silhouettes. The biggest trend? Find clothes that make you feel fantastic. That is style.
You’re showcasing the collections at Hospice Evening. Tell us about Carolina Herrera’s role in dressing women over the years.
Every woman wants to feel like the most beautiful version of herself. This was the principle on which Mrs. Herrera built this house. As a result, at nearly any gala you go to, you’re guaranteed to spot someone looking incredible in Herrera.
What excites you about visiting Palm Beach this month?
The Palm Beach woman knows how to make a fashion statement and loves color. I can’t wait to see how each and every one of them makes a Herrera look her own.
Tell us something we may not know about you.
I was obsessed with design from an early age. I refused to attend kindergarten without red suspenders and blue suede bucks and later pored over [Luchino] Visconti films and fashion biographies.
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