The Carolina Herrera woman is not static. She’s in motion. She’s thinking, collecting, curating, leading. She’s a New Yorker.
On a crisp February morning in New York, Wes Gordon sent out a reminder that the Carolina Herrera woman is not static. She’s in motion. She’s thinking, collecting, curating, leading. She’s a New Yorker.
After staging a grand spring show in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor, Wes Gordon returned to New York for Carolina Herrera’s Fall 2026 collection. This time, the mood felt closer to home. More personal.
The season paid tribute to women in the arts — artists, curators, collectors, and muses who shape culture every day. And instead of simply referencing them, Gordon invited them to take part.
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A runway led by women who shape art
The show took place in New York’s Meatpacking District inside a bright, open space filled with hand-painted murals by Sarah Oliphant. Soft blues and pinks met deep plums and browns, mirroring the colors of the collection. The setting felt almost like walking into an artist’s studio.
Several women who inspired the collection walked the runway themselves. Painter Amy Sherald. Artists Anh Duong, Ming Smith, Rachel Feinstein, and Eliza Douglas. Gallerist Hannah Traore. Muse Flora Currin.
Before the show, Gordon explained that the collection began with this community of women whose work he has long admired. It was his way of honoring creativity and self-expression.
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From polite society to bold self-expression
Instead of focusing on big gowns, Fall 2026 was about building a wardrobe. Pieces that can move easily from lunch with your girlfriends to a meeting in the boardroom.
The silhouettes were strong yet they are still wearable. Exaggerated shoulders. Puff-sleeve blazers. Slim pencil skirts with asymmetric hems. Print also played a big role. Leopard jacquards added edge. Calla lilies appeared on dresses and tailored jackets. A sketch of a stiletto pump inspired by the Good Girl fragrance bottle decorated shirts, skirts, and dresses with a subtle ’80s mood.
Some fitted jackets with puffed shoulders and calla lily buttons felt like a nod to Carolina Herrera herself in her early years. Gordon styled them with skirts, but he said he expects women to wear them with jeans and heels. Like saying, “make it your own.”
Evening with a little edge
While the grand gowns appeared in Madrid for spring, Fall 2026 still made room for eveningwear just in a different way.
Cocktail dresses and party pieces led the lineup. Gold coats and dresses made from individual rectangular sequins shimmered under the lights. Capes and floral gowns also added drama. Then came sheer nude embroidered tulle dresses.
Backstage, Gordon mentioned Peggy Guggenheim as an inspiration, a New Yorker who embraced art and individuality. Fall 2026 respects the elegance the house is known for, but it opens the door to stronger self-expression. More separates. More daywear. More pieces that fit into real life.
The Carolina Herrera woman is still polished. She still attends galas. But she also runs meetings, collects art, and leads creative conversations.
And now, she does it in leopard jacquard, sculpted knits, and sharply tailored blazers, clothes designed for a woman who moves.
Watch the full show below:
