Of all the diverse subjects Andrew Gn has tapped for inspiration—robots, the Wiener Werkstätte, Ossie Clark, Belle de Jour—he invariably defaults to flowers. This isn't a bad thing, especially since he consistently makes them seem fresh. While he named his Resort collection Persian Garden, he didn't need to travel far for his motif; he simply interpreted an authentic antique vase in his home. From his Marais showroom, Gn enthusiastically listed the blooms—hyacinths, marigolds, tulips, digitalis, and carnations—represented in the stylized array. But like any gardener who must give his flowers a stage, the designer planted his within beautiful fabrications: woven and reembroidered onto a linen shift, micro-beaded onto the bustier of a gown, rendered in precise clusters of square sequins. The applications were myriad, but they were always at their most modern when set against backdrops of natural linen, ivory, or black—and even more so when occasionally enhanced with sporty red trim.
Gn branched out beyond the flowers with a day-to-night grouping that pulsed with the coral and turquoise of Malhia Kent's tweed, plus complementary matte beadwork on bibs and sleeves. He also explored a pattern of guipure lace ovals, which he charmingly dubbed "coffee beans." Like embellished polka dots, they livened up versatile dresses and car coats in seasonless silk and sturdy cotton piqué. Yet for all the newness, he made as much of an impression with the pieces that constitute his core category. His application of zigzag eyelet and French lace, all in sharp black and white, spanned from ingenue (short shorts) to executive (zip-front jacket). With 55 looks, he could have pruned the space in between. But then with Gn, abundance feels natural.
