Andrew Gn’s Marais showroom is always filled with eye-catching creations; his use of lace and deployment of color call out like fashion flares. But no design today trumped the vision of the designer in fine form. After a critical health scare forced him to miss his ready-to-wear show in October, the house kept up appearances that everything would be fine. His presence was proof enough that it is. Then again, Gn, of all people, would not press pause unless given no other choice, so it really wasn’t that surprising to find this pre-collection offering as complete as any from his past. As usual, he showed day-to-night coats trimmed with intricate passementerie and jet beading, and a refreshed array of dresses in luxe pansy-pattern brocades and reissued vintage lace. The season’s print, derived from a Russian decorative motif, played vibrantly against panels of black silk chiffon; its Pop-hued flatness transcended comparisons to a carpet. Speaking of carpets, the grouping of color-blocked lace gowns dreamed up for awards season—or any other occasion—conveyed tasteful shock value. If they also seemed vaguely Victorian inspired, this was Gn’s intention. He used the reference sparingly, though, not going more literal than some romantic off-the-shoulder sheer yokes.
Gn dialed down the drama even further with feminine blouses, skirts, and a fur-collared jacket in soft gray wool jersey, which showed sensitivity to the clients who prefer understatement. He even admitted that his ordeal—coupled with society’s shared feeling of unease—had him thinking about this collection as “comfort food,” and that imposing an arbitrary theme as he is oft inclined to do seemed less a priority than making his customers feel good. An objective every bit heartfelt.
