Frostbitten at Gabe Gordon FW26
Designer duo Gabe Gordon and Timothy Gibbons unveiled their Fall/Winter ‘26 collection on Valentine’s Day at Arlo Williamsburg.
Photography by firstVIEW
New York City’s never-ending frigid temperatures served as the perfect backdrop for Gabe Gordon’s Fall/Winter ‘26 collection on Saturday evening. Designers Gabe Gordon and Timothy Gibbons’ continued fascination with athleticism has manifested in a new point of view: figure skating.
Aptly titled Frostbite, models appear to be consumed by the skin injury, floating down the runway with gaunt, pale expressions illuminated by large spotlights reminiscent of moonlight reflected on fresh snow.
With past collections taking heavy inspiration from cult-classic 1980s films and athletic wear, this latest body of work is no exception. We see nods to the decade through voluminous hair, pin curls, and bright blue eyeshadow as well as flouncing petticoats, cinched waists, and exaggerated tailoring. Stark, structured silhouettes are juxtaposed with soft, relaxed jumpers, wool separates, and UGG boots for an icy winter day.
Photography by firstVIEW
Romantic floral adornments on select looks are reminiscent of prize ribbons and medals awarded to athletes for their dedication. The connection to figure skating is clear, but as always with Gordon and Gibbons’ collections, a haunting undertone lingers.
Parallels are drawn between the rigorous training and body conditioning required for peak athletic performance and the grotesque transformations of humans into monsters at night. The synth-heavy, inspired soundtrack, accompanied by blood-curdling screams and snippets of sports commentators, makes the audience feel like they’re part of this nightmare.
Brooklyn-based designer Gabe Gordon’s eponymous label rose to prominence in 2021 with the launch of his asymmetrical Vortex cardigans, establishing the brand as a fixture in the experimental fashion scene in New York and beyond. In the past two collections, the label has entered a new chapter under the creative partnership of Gabe and his husband, Timothy Gibbons, whose background in costume design, tailoring, and construction has brought a refined structural depth to the brand’s vision.
Photography by firstVIEW
While the brand has accelerated quickly in the last three seasons, with its debut runway show in late 2024, this collection is still grounded in the brand's iconic neutral ombre knits and layered button tops, which we’ll never get sick of. Gabe Gordon’s seamless transition from an exclusively knitwear brand to one incorporating structured tailoring and avant-garde designs is a testament to the designer’s range and commitment to craftsmanship.
Gordon and Gibbons blend their expertise in knitwear, tailoring, and textiles to craft a distinctive brand grounded in sustainability, object connection, and the deconstruction of false boundaries and the embodied potentials of identity.
