Wes Gordon is the young designer whose name is on everyone’s lips. From dressing Lena Dunham for the Met Ball to appearing in Vogue, the fashion wunderkind (he’s only 25!) is making a name for himself in the industry. He backs up the buzz with beautiful designs, a strong work ethic, and goes above and beyond to stay true to his vision. We’re smitten with Wes’s designs that combine some old-school ladylike glamour with new-school silhouettes, so we grilled him on how he’s “making it” in fashion today.

Fashionista: What was the inspiration behind starting your own brand?
Wes Gordon: I knew that I always wanted to have my own label, even if it meant starting very small. I want to dedicate every minute of my time and energy towards my own collection, and am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to do so.

How did you first become interested in design?
I think my mom… She’s very stylish and, when I was just 3 or 4, I’d insist on picking out her clothes for work every morning! As soon as I learned that one could be a ‘fashion designer’, I knew that it was what I wanted to do with my life.

What is your design background?
I studied womenswear at Central Saint Martins and spent my summers interning with Oscar de la Renta and Tom Ford.

What inspires you?
Everything! Film, in particular, is a major source of inspiration for me. I’m also an avid reader whenever I have time (which it seems is only on airplanes…).

What’s a typical workday like for you?
I walk to the studio and arrive around 9:30, staying until 7 or 7:30 (much later near fashion week!). Every day is a completely different and unique combination of fittings, visitors, fabric reps, sketching, business meetings, and calls – an unpredictability that keeps me on my toes.

Can you describe your process of putting on a presentation at New York Fashion Week? How did it feel to receive such an amazingly positive response?
Each season’s presentation is the culmination of a lot of hard work and many late nights. I’m so lucky to work with a great team of people who help make each presentation so successful. Of course, after all the anticipation leading up to it, I end up spending the actual hour in a fatigue-induced haze!

Brought to you by Virgin Mobile. We answer to A Higher Calling™