Phillip Lim has been undergoing a metamorphosis of sorts, shedding conventional production methods in favor of innovative new sustainable practices. In little over a year, the designer has ramped up the sustainable and organic fiber quotient of his 3.1 brand to 60% with pre-fall.
Comprised of salvaged auto parts, the art of John Chamberlain was a natural jumping-off point for inspiration this season. The American artist’s unusual sense for color was instantly recognizable in Lim’s new collection; saccharine hues—mint green and powder pink—offset by a more industrial palette of concrete gray, optic white, and black. The proportions too echoed the sculptor’s twisted, crushed car works, with asymmetric shell tops made from a combination of organic cotton and recycled nylon that took on a cloud-like appearance. Paired with the designer’s best-selling track pants, what you got was a cool and grown-up update on the ’80s tracksuit.
Lim applied a technical finish to the more sophisticated silhouettes in the collection as well, including a striking slate gray caped opera dress with a plunging V neckline designed to be worn either to the front or the back. Couture-like shapes have been having a renaissance—panniers being the most curious of them all. In that sense, Lim’s bubble-skirted looks were well-timed and made sense in the context of his signature layer-cake styling.
Casual tailoring has always been a part of the 3.1 repertoire, and the best example this season was a nod to Chamberlain’s work, an over-dying technique on triacetate, a sustainable fabric made from wood pulp. The negative white space under pocket flaps and at shoulder seams was a happy accident, instantly loosening up the conventions of a suit. More than paying homage to the artist, though, the process was an ingenious way to cut waste. Proof that sustainability isn’t only a worthy pursuit, but one that can spark creative play.
