Biography
Wes Gordon is the creative director of Carolina Herrera and has been widely applauded for reworking of Carolina Herrera’s signature elements and colourful designs in a way that is exaggerated and playful, rather than cerebral and retrospective.
Gordon studied at Central Saint Martins, a school he was drawn to due to its legacy of producing notable designers such as Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Stella McCartney . He graduated in 2009 and, having interned at Oscar de la Renta and Tom Ford , moved to New York and set up his namesake label the same year.
The label soon counted Harrods, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman among its stockists. By 2014, his designs had been worn by Katy Perry, Gwyneth Paltrow and then First Lady Michelle Obama.
In 2017, Gordon hit pause on — and later shuttered — his own line to consult for fellow New York-based designer Carolina Herrera. He went on to become creative director after Herrera stepped down to become international brand ambassador instead. Her final collection was presented at New York Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2018.
In an interview with Vogue, shortly before his debut collection, the designer said, “It’s not about reinventing the wheel, or over-intellectualising fashion here; it’s just about embracing the fact that we can be a brand where you come and see something that’s really beautiful.”
In August 2019, Carolina Herrera’s flagship store on Madison Avenue reopened after its first renovation since it was opened nearly two decades ago