Carolina Herrera’s Modern Opulence
Wes Gordon’s vision of Carolina Herrera has evolved over five years. Who is she? Well, she’s the kind of woman who will wear a quilted skirt suit, but only if the hemline is short and the blazer is cropped. She’s the kind of woman who has occasion to wear evening gowns but loves the easy wearability of strapless chiffon silhouettes (ideally with pockets). While she loves an embellished and embroidered day dress, she feels equally powerful in a sharply tailored cigarette pants and sky-high heels. She is, to use a word, unapologetically “opulent”—which is why Gordon was inspired by the extreme opulence of Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria when designing his Fall Winter ‘23 collection (the royal was the subject of a hit Netflix series, The EmpressLast year,
Empress “Sisi”, a world-renowned beauty during her reign in the mid 19th century, was known for her grand fashions and hyper-vigilant approach to beauty. One of her most troubling habits was to sleep on a metal bedstead, without a pillow to support her posture. Another was to wear a leather mask with crushed strawberries each night to cover her face. On the runway, the empress’ sensibility was seen in overt references—grand billowing gowns with intricate jacquard print, chandelier drop earrings and a bounty of jewel tones. Her influence was not only visible, but also in subtle ways. In today’s era “opulence” isn’t just about after-dark glamour, it’s about the construction of a garment, the sumptuousness of the fabrics, the precision of the cuts. Gordon’s show notes re-iterated that the designer shows “zero compromise for the very best of construction and craftsmanship”, and it showed.
The show was presented to an intimate crowd in the ballroom of the Plaza hotel, which was also Gordon’s venue of choice for the brand’s last show. This was the ideal location for a fashion house which continues to embody old world New York City glamour. The front row was filled with three generations of Carolina Herrera women, from 20-year-old Maddie Ziegler looking fresh and youthful in her embellished mini dress, to perennially chic illustrator Jenny Walton in demure baby pink skirt suit, to the brand’s namesake herself, who cheered on Gordon from the front row in resplendent red and camel. The Herrera legacy is in capable hands.
