After referencing Victorian bathing suits for Spring, Phillip Lim is researching other areas of a turn-of-the-century wardrobe. Structured crop tops and thigh-skimming shorts made way for a radically new covered-up silhouette, one that circled around the parameters of ankle-skimming maxi dresses vaguely reminiscent of The Age of Innocence petticoats. That ladylike propriety was spiked with plenty of cool downtown attitude, though; Lim cited club kids of the legendary ’70s and ’80s London nightspot the Blitz as a jumping-off point, and the high-neck Victoriana shirts that were paired with knitted bondage pants had a New Romantic sway about them, especially grounded with pointy kitten-heeled pixie booties.
Ultimately, those subtle nods to the past made for an eclectic and modern mix. Take the deftly layered statement pieces of the collection apart—sporty frilly sweaters, paper bag–waist track pants, buffalo plaid frock coats—and there were many stealth staples here for the style-conscious magpie to covet. The peasant blouses that were finished with handfuls of tiny micro pearls were certainly fashion-forward and practical all at once—an appealing update to classic shirting in a working wardrobe. Equally compelling were paint splash–print parachute dresses and peasant skirts: languid, free-form, and right in line with the artistic sensibilities that have been bubbling under in fashion lately, too.
Lim is sailing into new waters with his denim business for Pre-Fall, and his latest offering expands upon the traditional idea of designer jeans. Drawing on the trend for corsetry that’s been seen on the street style circuit and the runways in Europe, he reformatted classic jean jackets, skirts, and trousers with waist-cinching lacing; even tricky-to-pull-off white denim culottes gained a flattering, nipped-in line. At a time when leggings are outselling denim on the shop floor, there’s more reason than ever to think outside the box in this way. With his latest collection, Lim proved he’s not resting on his laurels—or his skinny jeans for that matter.
