Well, that was quick. Having launched his namesake label in 2010, Wes Gordon can already count Michelle Obama as a fan and was recently named a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. The 26-year-old designer s core clientele is a gala-going group of ladies who lunch, but today s Spring presentation, which also attracted downtown darlings including Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Garance Doré, proved that Gordon has his eye trained on a hipper crowd, too. The new lineup was inspired by mystical tarot cards (see: the hand-painted swan print) and was "a little tougher and more sinister—with a bite," as the designer put it. Compared to seasons past, Gordon decidedly ratcheted up the sex appeal here, with a corseted foil-leather trench, vampy Chantilly lace blouses, and ultra-slim tulle pants embellished with sparkly Swarovski elements. The killer stilettos (Gordon s third collaboration with Manolo Blahnik) featuring lace-up ankle straps deserve a shout-out, too, even though you couldn t help but sympathize with the pained look in the teetering models eyes. Still, Gordon was careful to balance those sultrier pieces with more straightforward, sophisticated ones like a lipstick red bias-cut dress with a high neckline and asymmetrical hem. That should keep his Bergdorf base—out in full force this morning, and all wearing Gordon numbers—coming back for more.
