Until now, tapestry has never figured into Andrew Gn's collections, perhaps because he worried the result would thwart his feminine silhouettes: No woman wants to get wrapped in a rug. But in his ongoing pursuit of sumptuous surface detail, Gn arrived at Clerici, an artisanal Milanese tappezziere, and the polychrome items it produced brought even more richness to his repertoire. To customize the tapestry further, he added embroidery in Fair Isle patterning, fringed trim, and, for the gowns, square sequins that mirrored the weaving. You'd think this would have been enough to quell the designer's decorative desires, but Byzantine-inspired brocade and duchesse satin tiled with Persian carnations gave the impression that he was preparing a royal trousseau. So, naturally, it was funny to hear him describe the collection as folkloric and comfy—although he was obviously referring to the comparatively unadorned peasant blouses trimmed with lace and the passementerie sweater coats ringed with curly Mongolian lamb's fur. And Gn did seem aware that some women prefer such richness in moderation, so he offset the more elaborate pieces with fluted knee-length "cocktail" pants and bell skirts (the latter, when paired with A-line suit jackets, yielded a swingy double-bell silhouette). He also revisited his best sellers—short shorts and sleeveless shifts—this time in jewel tones or with limited stone embellishment.
Some designers show extra-large pre-collections, while others prefer an edited taste of what's to come; if you haven't already guessed, Gn went with the former, and the offering could have been scaled back somewhat. He explained that clients often request looks from the photos they see. And those customers obviously know that his ideas flow generously.
