Classical and baroque, modern and archetypal. Dion Lee evolved on ways to conceal and reveal through inventive tailoring that treated corsetry as lingerie or a mere extension of support.
Lee has played with similar ideas of blended construction in the past — see the built-in bras from last fall, or the sensual hints of boudoir lace in spring — which lead to a more seamless and subtle blend for fall where the contrast wasn’t so apparent. It fueled half his collection, ranging structured and strong when interlocked with blazers, to romantic and delicate when woven with lace or into twisted dresses that maintained a sleek demeanor.
“I think it was this idea of things that felt kind of precious versus things that felt kind of quiet, everyday and easy,” he said backstage after the show, adding: “It was really about these archetypes of the wardrobe and how we layered the look in a kind of anatomical way.”
Dion Lee RTW Fall 2019
40 Photos
It became the entry point for cinching silhouettes and exposing the body in new and creative ways while utilizing familiar shapes. He adapted corsetry ties into a structural element that held together a body-hugging dress and featherweight blouses with poet sleeves. More conceptually, dresses without the corsetry were gathered or twisted to help hold you in and featured cutouts and other skin-baring elements. He kept the palette minimal and luxe so that asymmetrically pleated lace skirts, textured knitwear, and denim coursed with a heightened level of sophistication and polish, accented by a newly introduced category of leather bags that were equally elevated in modernist design.