PARIS, March 1, 2006 – Andrew Gn designs for a rarefied customer, the kind who prefers her jet crystals to be of a 1950's or '60's vintage, and is willing to pay for the privilege. In addition to those chandelier-size baubles, which decorated the necklines of four-ply cashmere sweaters, the Singapore-born designer sourced antique laces that appeared as trim on skirtsuits and as insets on silk camisoles. "There was no holding back," Gn acknowledged backstage. Observe, for instance, a baby-pink cashmere coat with swirls of black silk cord at the hem and a chin-grazing collar of white fox. In a season when the buzzwords include monasticism, rigor, and restraint, some of his more heavily embellished pieces came off as doubly extravagant.

But if the jet teardrops shimmying on a silk tulle evening coat ran counter to the current trend, you couldn't quibble with Gn's construction. There was a couture-like finish to the slightly puffed sleeves and peplum hem of a checked jacket, and a youthful fit to a tweed blazer with three-quarter-length sleeves. For evening, he revisited the tiered dresses he did for spring, but in fall's more subtle color palette: white, blush, a quiet printed check. And perhaps mindful that his gowns' high prices can prove a stumbling block to aspiring clients of the young or not-so-young variety, Gn introduced another new twist this season: a costume jewelry collection.

– Nicole Phelps