Fresh off his recent CFDA win for best new menswear designer, Phillip Lim showed a Spring 2013 collection in Paris that hit all the right notes. Lim has always been known for his effortless tweaks to tradition—whether it be with new cuts, colors, or decorative motifs—and his latest collection had a refreshing ease to it that was somewhat missing last season. Lim worked intricate floral appliqués and a baroque print into a number of highly desirable pieces, like Hao Yunxiang’s motorcycle jacket or the lightweight shirt tied around Arran Sly’s waist. Several of the boys wore detachable shirt tails that fluttered behind them as they walked, a stylistic detail that, if a touch busy, helped add to the sense of energetic movement the collection evoked. Lim once again demonstrated his eye for color, working with a faded palette of sky blue, sea green, and off white that added a cool touch to the clothes. It’s been an especially strong season for outerwear, and this collection was no different, with a number of anoraks, parkas, and Zhao Lei’s perfect denim jacket. If there were any doubts before that Lim was anything less than deserving of his latest trophy, surely those are now long gone.

Text by Jonathan Shia
Photos by Dirk Alexander

Related posts: