“It’s optimistic and easy, while stretching the range more to give people all types of solutions for whatever may come,” designer Phillip Lim said of his pre-fall collection. “I always think about transitions as a time to experiment, but experimentation comes also with clothes or ideas that are more rooted in uniforms and classics.”
Picking up where he left off from spring, Lim’s pre-fall collection equally offers versatility and thoughtful details with a balance between loosely structured utility and hyper femininity.
Pieces touched on messages of playful, sexy, cool ease while offering realistic wearability for myriad occasions through convertible, mix and match and pre-styled silhouettes. For instance, a little white one-shouldered cocktail dress in deadstock heavy crepe with elongated neck-tie bow or his take on the three-piece suit: a men’s wear vest with set-in cropped bra and kick-flare trouser. Knitwear, another strong aspect of the collection, offered the same appeal — “mushy” rib flare pants and tops, a hand melano camisole with engineered knit lace, or zip-front halter that alluded to a deconstructed cardigan.
Lim’s messaging of transition was synonymous throughout in layered looks (a buttercream cotton and recycled polyester trenchcoat layered over head-to-toe knits) as well as the individual garments themselves. For instance, feminine wardrobe staples with utilitarian flair, like convertible poplin dresses, organic natural denim miniskirts, a new tie-dyed broderie anglaise camp shirt and utility skirt, or playful chunky sandals, boots and colorful mini bags.
“Thinking about the ever-changing and evolving world we live in and responding to that without knowing the story or situation that will last more than two months,” he explained, further emphasizing the collection’s strength in offering real clothes for today’s ever-changing reality.
