Amid all the differing opinions and actions regarding the flaws in the fashion cycle, it’s easy to overlook the time it takes for clothes to be made. This was thrown into sharply embroidered relief at Andrew Gn’s show, where a family portrait of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, inspired a collection that commanded respect. The procession began with a series of properly tailored military looks featuring just enough ornamentation (black passementerie; tone-on-tone hand braiding) to confirm Gn’s devotion to surface detail. With each successive theme—the imperial, shimmery brocade; the feathered fringes springing from fluid crepe; the uniform elements reimagined as eveningwear—he seemed to make a case against the hard-edged, oddly proportioned, street-fueled fashion that generates all the buzz these days.
Gn said backstage that he felt the historical references allowed him permission to explore such rich treatments. Tassels assembled by a specialist in Italy, soutache braiding, appliques of black velvet bordered in beads, and cord embroidery coiled into floral patterns required an Edwardian-style mantle or a modified fin de siècle gown to achieve his desired level of decadence. But in applying any of these elements to a jersey top, knit pullover, or skater skirt, the designer also underscored how far we’ve progressed from the heavy uniforms and floor-grazing silhouettes. To further prove that he didn’t get trapped in the past, vampish knee-high stilettos anchored every look.
Giving relevance to a regal aesthetic and its savoir faire is a smart way to attract the right type of clientele, whether a present-day princess or a CEO. In the audience today was Jane Hartley, the United States Ambassador to France. Mid-show, she swiftly fetched a model’s earring that landed on the runway. Supporters don’t come truer than that.
