Wes Gordon
Creative director of Carolina Herrera since 2018
Wes Gordon is an American designer who has been creative director of Carolina Herrera since 2018, after a year as creative consultant to the house. He is credited with refreshing the brand with bold colour and volume while keeping the founder's codes, and he previously ran his own womenswear label in New York.
| Role | Creative director, Carolina Herrera |
|---|---|
| Since | 2018 (consultant from 2017) |
| Owner of house | Puig |
| Education | Central Saint Martins (2009) |
| Nationality | American |
Who is Wes Gordon?
Wes Gordon is an American fashion designer from Chicago who leads the creative direction of Carolina Herrera, the New York house owned by Puig. He took over from the founder herself in 2018, one of the most closely watched founder successions in American fashion. His collections are known for saturated colour, oversized florals and dramatic eveningwear.
Career
Gordon graduated from Central Saint Martins in London in 2009. During his studies he gained experience through internships, including at Oscar de la Renta and in Tom Ford's London atelier. In 2009 he launched his own womenswear label in New York, which was soon stocked by department stores such as Harrods and Saks Fifth Avenue.
In 2017 he joined Carolina Herrera as a creative consultant, working alongside the founder. In 2018 he was appointed creative director when Herrera showed her final collection. He has since presented the house's collections in New York and in destination shows abroad.
For Fall/Winter 2026 he presented a collection dedicated to women in the arts, with artists and gallerists such as Amy Sherald and Ming Smith walking the runway and references to the collector Peggy Guggenheim. Speaking about the house, he described his task as balancing the past, present and future of the brand.
Influence on the fashion business
Gordon's tenure is a reference point for how a designer can take over a living founder's brand without breaking continuity. His approach has involved:
- Keeping signature codes such as the white shirt, florals and full skirts
- Introducing brighter colour and more youthful styling
- Strong red carpet and celebrity visibility
- Collections that support a large fragrance and beauty business within Puig
For Puig, which generates much of its revenue from fragrance, a visible and desirable fashion collection helps sustain the brand equity that the beauty products rely on.
Why it matters
Founder successions are among the riskiest moments for a fashion house. Wes Gordon's work at Carolina Herrera since 2018 is often cited as a case where a younger designer, given time and the founder's support, has modernised a brand while preserving what made it recognisable.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Wes Gordon?
Wes Gordon is an American designer and the creative director of Carolina Herrera since 2018. He studied at Central Saint Martins and ran his own womenswear label in New York before joining the house.
Who designs for Carolina Herrera now?
Wes Gordon has designed Carolina Herrera's collections since 2018, when the founder showed her final collection. He joined the house as a creative consultant in 2017.