Wes Gordon Puts His Signature Collection on Pause, Consults for Carolina Herrera
NEW YORK — Wes Gordon is the latest young designer to hit the pause button on his signature collection, as he moonlights for another company.
For the past few weeks, Gordon has been consulting at Carolina Herrera, and he will continue to do so for the time being. Both Gordon and a Herrera spokeswoman declined to discuss the potential of a more permanent role at the company. Asked if he hoped that it would develop into a creative directorship, Gordon said Monday, “That’s never even been discussed. It’s way premature or presumptuous for me to say that.”
Gordon said of his own women’s collection, “It’s on pause. We didn’t do a collection last season. The company still exists. We’re just sort of assessing the model and what the plan and strategy is for that business.”
WWD described his most recent collection — spring 2017 — as “utterly romantic, but in a modern way.” Skipping a presentation last fall, Gordon went with a five-minute, three-act film shot by Margaret Zhang featuring twins Amalie and Cecilie Moosgaard.
Regarding his work at Herrera, his first assignment focused on the bridal collection, and he has since turned his attention to resort. He will be on hand when the bridal collection is presented April 21. “I’m working with their design team,” said Gordon. “It’s very much just season to season. It’s been great. It’s no formal role in the company, just a consultancy.”
One industry observer noted that Herrera and Gordon are well-suited personality-wise and aesthetically. Aside from the Herrera team running “a nice, civilized place,” the challenge, as is the case with other established names, is: “How do you move it forward to attract more clients? There is a fine line. You can’t change too much,” the source said.
While the next move for the Wes Gordon label remains a question mark, Gordon said he has given up his Nassau Street address in Manhattan, choosing not to renew the lease at the end of last month. Long before Brookfield Place opened or Condé Nast relocated to 1 World Trade Center, Gordon moved in 2009. “We joke about it. Seven years ago, to get lunch, you had to go to the grocery store — Zeytuna — two blocks away and stand in line and order a sandwich. By the end, it was a million restaurants [opening] every day,” he said. “I always say that I wish I’d bought the space. That would have been the best investment ever.”
Gordon earned his diploma at Central Saint Martins and interned at Oscar de la Renta and Tom Ford (in his London King’s Road days) before creating his first collection.
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