Fashion never exists in a vacuum. The industry routinely borrows from art, literature, architecture, sports, film, and basically every other field you can imagine. Wes Gordon, for one, is no stranger to a cultural reference. This season, he had two very specific inspirations while designing Carolina Herrera’s fall/winter 2025 collection: The 1979 movie Being There and a painting from French artist Sonia Delaunay called “Rhythm Color.” The former influenced the collection’s florals, while the latter served as the foundation for the color palette.
“Being There is one of my favorite films and the starting point of this collection,” Gordon explained in the show notes. “I was thinking about that moment in the garden, just after the rain. There is a pureness to Chance the Gardener that informed this collection—a distilled sense of beauty. The thought of tending to our wardrobes the way he would tend to his garden—meticulously, with thoughtful care. Being there.” Isn’t that sweet? It’s hard to imagine New York Fashion Week without Wes Gordon.
Looking through the collection, I was struck by the intricately detailed craftsmanship. Scroll down to explore my four favorite details from Carolina Herrera’s F/W 25 collection.
Gold Bullion Tulip Embroidery
A cobalt blue dress. A pinstripe maxi coat. A cozy turtleneck sweater. How do you make these disparate items feel cohesive? Well, if you’re Wes Gordon, you add a gold bullion tulip. The gilded appliqués elevated many of the looks in the F/W 25 collection. Suddenly my wardrobe doesn’t feel complete without a Carolina Herrera tulip. This detail ties in nicely with the brooch trend we’ve been seeing for a few seasons that has continued at NYFW this month.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
Handmade Silk Rosettes
Gordon explained in the show notes that the silk rosettes were handmade “one by one.” Some of the looks boasted singular rosettes at the hips, while one dress blossomed with half a dozen flowers at the neck. I particularly enjoyed the all-black outfit punctuated with beautiful blue silk.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
Sequins
Carolina Herrera has long been a fixture on red carpets. This season, Wes Gordon presented a slew of sequin dresses that are destined to end up at movie premieres, film festivals, and award shows. Will an A-lister will wear the electric blue sequin column dress at the Oscars? Only time will tell!
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
Lace
Last but certainly not least, the delicate lace embroidery was another one of my favorite details from the show. I certainly loved the dresses, but I was particularly intrigued by the lace separates. I’ve never seen a cardigan look so chic! Gordon is a master of color, but as it turns out, he’s equally skilled at working with black and white.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
(Image credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera)
