At Madrid’s Plaza Mayor, Wes Gordon staged a Spring Summer 2026 collection for Carolina Herrera that fused Spanish grandeur with modern poise. Against the striking backdrop of a 450-meter pink runway, the show opened with a monumental black taffeta ballgown, part museum piece, part declaration signaling the collection’s dialogue between art-historical opulence and present-day wearability.

Across 77 looks, Gordon balanced scale and restraint: Meninas-like skirts, lavish embroideries, and corseted gowns shared the stage with ankle-length streamlined silhouettes that kept the collection fresh and youthful. The ankle hem became a defining gesture, grounding the drama of voluminous shapes and ensuring movement felt light and contemporary.

Tailoring was central. Structured corsets cinched waists, while cropped toreador-inspired pedal pushers – sometimes matte, sometimes fully beaded – nodded to Spanish costume but with Gordon’s modern polish. Accessories were pared back to fringed cords or sleek accents, ensuring costume reference never tipped into costume drama.

Surface innovation stood at the heart of the season. Collaborations with Spanish artisans enriched the craft: Casa Seseña capes, glasswork by Levens, and ceramic florals from Andres Gallardo. Embroidery and metallic treatments reached new heights, especially in floral motifsroses, carnations, and violets—anchoring Herrera’s DNA in local heritage. A standout: a white cotton corset dress embroidered densely with red carnations, layered over a crisp shirt – literal yet refined.

Strategic partnerships expanded the narrative. Sybilla’s floating panel dresses in Herrera red and black introduced graphic minimalism, while Palomo Spain’s dramatic reimaginings of the white blouse-collared, voluminous, ankle-skimming offered theatrical but wearable reinventions of a house icon.

Color and material choices reflected a duality: the Golden Age and La Movida. Deep blacks, jewel tones, and Herrera red dominated, offset by crisp whites and glints of metallic gold. Textures, from textured taffeta to dense beadwork, spoke to grandeur, while seam work and corsetry structured the extravagance into clarity.

Styling let the garments command the stage: hair, makeup, and accessories refined rather than distracted, and footwear underscored the ankle focus with sleek proportion.

The finale gleamed in gold-embroidered opulence, a high note of Spanish decadence. Yet the overall impression was calibrated, not excessive. Wes Gordon delivered a collection that crystallized his direction for the house: rooted in history, shaped by artisan craft, but ultimately tuned for today’s wardrobes – pieces that are at once lavish, modern, and unmistakably Carolina Herrera.