Sin City. V for Vendetta. Phillip Lim dug into neo-noir comic books for pre-fall. The results were almost kitsch in the case of intarsia cashmere sweaters and oversize varsity jackets embroidered with block letters, but more often than not the collection was subtle and versatile—as befits a designer known for statements like this: "Everyone wants garments to be superheroes. This 'fill in the blank' should save your day, your week, your year."
In fact, many of the pieces could do just that, starting with the outerwear. Lim designed puffer jackets made from high-tech Japanese polyfill that are not only very nearly weightless but also reversible: Wear the quilted side for a more countrified look and the plain side for the city. Blazers in navy or ivory, meanwhile, came with functional zippers at the waist. If you felt like it, you could purchase both and have four jackets for the price of two.
Other pieces played on the idea of a superhero's costume. A peacoat, for instance, had a capelike back. And he pushed the cape idea further with trousers veiled in chiffon and shorts with sheer slit-skirt overlays. What's always appealed about Lim's clothes is their anti-conceptualism; his pants are among his best sellers because they're exceedingly well cut for their price. So there were plenty of straightforwardly chic pieces here, as well. Which brings us back to his outerwear. It'd take superhuman strength to resist the simple elegance of his side-zip polyurethane-dipped tweed coat.
