Carolina Herrera’s creative director reflects on craft, community, and early inspirations during the Saint Louis Fashion Fund’s annual event
Carolina Herrera creative director Wes Gordon was the featured guest at the Saint Louis Fashion Fund’s “Speaking of Fashion” series on November 18, drawing an audience of roughly 800 to Washington University’s Graham Chapel. The evening, hosted by Derek Blasberg and held in partnership with Washington University and Caleres, highlighted Gordon’s path from fashion-obsessed child to the helm of one of America’s most storied houses. In conversation, Gordon recalled choosing his own kindergarten outfits—complete with daily red suspenders—sketching dresses before he understood the profession, and eventually learning to sew with the help of a local dressmaker. His graduation collection at Central Saint Martins, crafted from blown glass, hinted early at the inventive sensibility he would later bring to Carolina Herrera. Before the public talk, Gordon met privately with fashion students from across Missouri for one-on-one critiques, and St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer formally recognized his achievements by declaring November 18 “Wes Gordon Day.” He also received the Saint Louis Fashion Fund award from the organization’s executive director, Becky Domyan.
Reflecting on formative experiences, Gordon spoke warmly of his time at Oscar de la Renta—“a man who knew extremely well the women who wore his clothes”—and described Tom Ford as exacting and meticulous, someone for whom “nothing is left to chance.” Addressing young designers in the audience, he encouraged them to take creative risks while they can: “Use this opportunity to do something crazy.” He also challenged the perception of fashion as competitive or cutthroat, characterizing the industry instead as a collaborative community “working so hard to try to make the impossible possible.” With fellow St. Louis natives Blasberg and Karlie Kloss in attendance, the evening underscored just how deeply Gordon’s trajectory remains connected to the city that first nurtured his imagination.