With the Singapore retrospective, Andrew Gn begins a new chapter

Andrew Gn is ready for his close-up.

As he celebrates his 28 years of activity, the Parisian designer is the subject of his first major retrospective, "Andrew Gn: Shaping Singapore and the World", on view at the Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM) in Singapore until September 17.

He is working on a biography, which will be published next fall, and is in talks to bring the exposure to institutions in the United States, France and the rest of Asia, including China. “So it will be about five, six years of my life. It's like stepping into a James Bond movie,” he says, with one of the peals of laughter that punctuates his conversation.

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Gn sits at Gio Ponti's mirrored dining table in one of his two apartments in Paris, surrounded by his prolific collection of ceramics. While his other home is a maximalist ode to the 18th century, this space in the north of the French capital reflects his modernist leanings, with a mix of mid-century furnishings and abstract art.

Although he has dressed everyone from Queen Rania of Jordan to Lady Gaga, the Genius designer has kept a relatively low public profile style thus far, preferring to cultivate close personal relationships with his clients. Early in his career, poster trunks introduced him to society doyennes such as Lynn Wyatt, Blaine Trump, and Susan Gutfreund.

"They became my friends, and I really treasure those friendships. And I also learned to knowing what they like, and that helps a lot with my work, because it's a very useful medium rather than creating for a woman who doesn't really exist,” he says.

After two major health issues, including a stroke last year, he now prefers welcome VICs to its ornate couture salon in the Marais district, dominated by an 18th-century Murano glass chandelier that belonged to the historic Italian Doria Pamphili clan.

The Parisian salon of Andrew Gn. Dominique Master/WWD

Gn has reached a stage in his career where he is considering ways to give back. Initially, he donated 160 designs to the ACM, ranging from a linen dress with pagoda epaulettes, embroidered with colorful Asian-inspired patterns, to the short pointed-shoulder jacket with jeweled buttons. signature worn by Lily Collins in "Emily in Paris."

"I have to start building my legacy," he explains. "And I think it's really such an honor, first and foremost, to be honored by...