Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) got off to a spectacular start with New York luxury label Carolina Herrera’s creative director Wes Gordon unveiling his Spring-Summer 2024 showcase at the Dubai Design District (d3) on October 9.
In the next few days until October 15, over 25 designers from 12 countries, including Michael Cinco, Lama Jouni, Dima Ayad, Pipatchara, and Valentin Yudashkin, will showcase their collection at the second edition of the DFW, co-founded by Arab Fashion Council and Dubai Design District (d3).
As far as good starts go, Gordon’s showcase was audacious, whimsical, and opulent.
Gulf News caught up with Gordon, who has been with the label since 2018, backstage and got his take on putting together a fashion showcase in Dubai, the concept of quiet luxury, and more.
“It’s such a huge honour to be at the Dubai Fashion Week,” said Gordon.
Excerpts from the rapid fire round with Gordon:
What are your thoughts on kick-starting the Dubai Fashion Week with an exclusive Carolina Herrera SS24 presentation?
I am so excited and it’s such a huge honour. Dubai is one of the most exciting places on the planet right now and I am so thrilled to be here.
Tell us more about the collection that you showcased for DFW?
My goal with this collection was to design very wearable pieces that are still fabulous. The idea of casual and dressy is so old-fashioned. Right now, I think clothes should just be amazing and you must only wear what you love. All those pieces in this collection reflects that philosophy.
How do you rate the fashion quotient of those in the UAE? Do you think they would benefit from embracing the ‘Less is more’ fashion ideology?
It’s brilliant and I have been around the world. I really adore colour and Carolina Herrera is all about colour and women here certainly share that same passion for beautiful colours. They seem to enjoy dressing joyfully and seem to be looking for fabulous, glamorous, and elegant pieces. They have fun when they get dressed and I appreciate that.
Carolina Herrera is your mentor and your friend. How has your relationship evolved with the fashion designer icon?
We are very close, but the one rule that we maintain is that she doesn’t ever want to talk about work. So we don’t discuss fashion. We talk about our dogs and we talk about our families. We talk about movies, TV shows. We are just lovely friends and she very much leave me free to find my own successes or failures when it comes to the collection.
What would you term as your biggest success and your biggest failure?
I consider it a success every time I see a woman wearing a piece of Herrera. Nothing make me happier and nothing makes me more proud. Regarding failures, I try not to count them. I try to grow from them and fix them, if possible.
Covid-19 was a challenging time for the fashion industry, what were your biggest takeaways?
During Covid-19, our supply chains were so compromised and manufacturing was difficult that we couldn’t make nearly as many things as you could before. It became all about choosing what was the most essential for my collection. And, coming out of Covid-19, we have really learnt to value the act of making and respecting that space. Today, it’s not about making more stuff because we think we need more stuff. At Herrera, we try to only make pieces that have real purpose.
What’s your take on quiet luxury?
I love quiet luxury and I love loud glamour too. I love it all. I love emotional clothes and I love what makes someone feel beautiful. There’s no right or wrong way to dress. There are no rules to follow. If something speaks to your soul and hear, then you should wear it.
What’s your take on athleisure?
Listen, there’s no right or wrong way to dress. There’s no rule in fashion. I believe in women putting on what makes them feel their best. Dress for yourself and I hope my pieces make a woman feel empowered and beautiful.
Before I let you go, if there’s one fabric and colour that you could work on for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Yellow silk.
