PARIS, February 27, 2008 – At least two things were different.

First, where were the skirts? Andrew Gn is a leg man, but instead of the above-the-knee styles and pencil numbers his clients love him for, he stuck mostly to pants. And great ones, too, in the softest cashmere—cropped with a row of buttons rising from the ankle to mid-calf, or straight and leg-lengthening with a raised waist and the tiniest flare.

Second, what happened to the colors and prints and, for that matter, embroideries—all hallmarks of this seven-year-old house? The flash factor had definitely been taken down a notch or two.

Well, Gn's dark, sophisticated new palette aligned nicely with the Paris season. So, too, did his now more understated embellishments, like the basket-weave detailing at the collar and cuffs of a cashmere redingote, the hand-finished organza yoke of a high-necked silk blouse, and the braided waistband of a satin cocktail dress.

The real question, of course, is whether or not the designer's high-flying fan club will take to the edgier, less overtly feminine look. Considering that the clothes—even the youngest-looking silk satin dresses with the tented backs—were every bit as couture as they've been in the past, we'd say the odds are in his favor.

– Nicole Phelps