Andrew Gn’s spring collection was inspired by the camp classic “Boom!” — though not so much by Elizabeth Taylor’s histrionic performance than by her memorable wardrobe, designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Italian label Tiziani.
“She’s always been my icon,” the designer said in a preview at his Paris showroom. Gn loves a good ’60s moment, and he channeled Taylor’s flowing outfits with items including high-collared blouses with opulent jeweled buttons, and a white caftan with a sequined collar and a striking red coral print.
Corals have been a recurring theme in his collections since 2005 and this season, he partnered with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation on an awareness campaign to save the endangered reefs.
The collection film was shot at the National Museum of the History of Immigration, one of Gn’s favorite museums and a gem of Art Deco architecture. Its brightly colored reception hall was the perfect foil for the outfits, which came in a palette of black and white, dotted with bright jewel hues.
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Most striking were the new shoulder proportions, ranging from shelf-like, on minidresses, tailored jackets and jumpsuits, to leg-of-mutton style, such as the broderie anglaise sleeves on a pristine white hourglass evening gown.
Gn, who was a shoulder pad devotee as a teenager in the ‘80s, has always favored smaller shoulders in his collections. “All of a sudden, I felt that, coming out of the pandemic, it’s a bloody jungle out there for women,” he said. “I just want to get women prepared. It’s psychological.”
The designer has seen in uptick in demand for occasionwear, but said his customers were looking for easier alternatives. This season, he used hardly any embroidery, focusing instead on bold shapes and striking details, such as the oversize metallic buttons on a cropped black jumpsuit.
“In fact, the jumpsuit is a new way of dressing for the evening,” Gn said. “People are dressing up, but they don’t dress up in the same way. It might come later. People want to go out, but they don’t necessarily want a fully beaded gown. I think it’s all about understated elegance now.”