Gn’s womenswear tick many of Parker’s boxes. His designs immediately leave an impression, thanks to opulent touches like jewel embellishments and embroidery that reflect both Gn’s passion for craftsmanship as well as the wealth of cultural references and traditions that he draws from. His dresses are expertly tailored to flatter and accentuate the female form, and, as Gn ensures, last a lifetime in the wardrobes of his customers. And, despite having helmed his eponymous fashion brand for 28 years now, Gn is constantly evolving as a designer. As Parker puts it, “He plays the delicate dance of reinventing himself with each collection, while staying true to his design vision of craft and beauty.”

The cherry on top, for Parker, is that Gn’s designs are rarefied. “Because he does not produce a massive run of any piece, there is an exclusivity to his brand,” she says. That means that at the galas and parties that Parker often graces, she hardly runs the risk of showing up in the same outfit as someone else.

Parker is particularly drawn to Andrew Gn pieces that are adorned with butterflies, one of the designer’s signature motifs. “I tend to order from his atelier in Paris, or through FarFetch, MatchesFashion, or Net-A-Porter,” she says. “If I’m in New York, I always stop at Bergdorf Goodman, since they have the most gorgeous display of Andrew’s pieces.”

On a recent trip to the American luxury department store, Parker delighted in seeing Gn’s designs placed front and centre at Linda’s at BG, a pop-up space on the fourth floor, curated by none other than the famous Linda Fargo, Bergdorf’s senior vice president and women’s fashion and store presentation director.

Like Fargo, Parker is a firm believer that Gn’s creations should be showcased in all their glory. She is, after all, the chair of the ACM Gala 2023, an upcoming fundraising event for the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) that will also officially open Gn’s retrospective exhibition, Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World.

“I cannot wait for Singaporeans to explore the exhibition and be wowed by Andrew’s vast archive, his obvious talent, and his passion for fashion,” shares Parker. “This [exhibition] marks Andrew coming home to an audience who may not know him well, but Singaporeans will be avid fans once they view his incredible work over the last two decades.”

The exhibition will open on May 27 at the ACM. Before that, two of the pieces from the exhibition will be displayed at the ACM Gala on May 25. The glitzy event, which will take place at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, will mark the 25th anniversary of the museum. It will be hosted by Parker, with Gn himself in attendance.

Mark Lee, the chairman of the ACM and Peranakan Museum, thinks that it only made sense to celebrate both ACM’s anniversary and Gn’s career together.

“There is a great synergy between what ACM stands for and what Andrew’s fashion legacy represents,” he tells us in an email. “[The ACM Gala 2023] will be one of the most memorable and poignant galas for it will showcase ACM and the Peranakan Museum’s role in telling the story of Singapore—as a port city and immigrant nation, and as a distinctive, multi-ethnic, and multi-faith society rich in heritage and culture.”

Lee adds that the gala will see “fashion luminaries of international stature supporting ACM and flying in for the occasion”.

Indeed, Parker believes that the ACM Gala will be a very stylish affair. She tells us that she hopes to see guests clad in “a myriad of strong colours, fabulous florals, and distinct styles of Andrew Gn creations—from past to present—sauntering throughout the glamorous The Fullerton Hotel ballroom!”

Parker will certainly meet those expectations herself. For the gala, she intends to wear a bright red gown adorned with handmade silk flowers. It’s a look from Andrew Gn’s spring/summer 2018 collection, specially loaned to her from the designer.

“I wanted to wear pieces from his past to show his vast range and evolution of his craft over time,” shares Parker, who adds that her choice of red, a colour seen on Singapore national flag, is a nod to her adopted country.

The dramatic ensemble, as with many of Parker’s outfits, will also amplify her message of championing Singapore fashion. “In my small way, I hope it helps to encourage local creativity and craft,” she explains. “Asian fashion designers have immense talent, so this is no hardship.”

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