For the past couple of seasons, Phillip Lim has dug into the idea of travel, collecting things as you go and often wearing them, which has resulted in highly layered, eclectic collections. For pre-fall, he felt it was time to come home and stay still for a minute. “It’s like, OK, let’s settle,” Lim said. “Let’s reboot and reestablish.”
Instead of casting his eye far and wide, Lim wanted to focus on what he considers his brand codes: pragmatic, real clothes romanced through volume, color and utilitarianism. The collection was full of clothes that packed appeal in terms of creating stylish function, all the more so given the time they hit stores: high summer, going into fall. A khaki dress with a cinched waist and puffed sleeves in technical poplin, and trenches in khaki and gray flannel were chic, everyday staples that can carry into fall. A minimal, lime-green matte jersey slipdress came with a matching cape shrug that could be layered and played with for various looks. Jumpsuits done in fluid sateen gave utilitarianism a softness and sensuality. Lim deconstructed Twenties-style dresses and did them in illustrated prints inspired by Jean Cocteau. Overall, the collection felt relatively stripped-down and clean but far from plain. There was still a lot of layering — slipdresses over loose tailored pants that pooled gently at the floor, and caftans and ponchos over long dresses — but it felt controlled. Bags and shoes were also down-to-earth with oversize linen hobos and satin bedroom slippers that tied around the ankle.
3.1 Phillip Lim Pre-Fall 2019
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