The Juice: Phillip Lim + Shoes, Lingerie & Swimwear Collection
Designer Phillip Lim is not letting the economy slow him down. [insert praises here] — He is currently in the process of creating a new collection of shoes, lingerie and swimwear to his already successful brand. WWD has the full scoop, read on…
Lim’s new swim lineup rolled out first, for the summer market. It’s a tight three-style collection — two maillots and a bikini in pretty patchwork floral prints, all to retail at $175. “Usually, swimwear is sleek or athletic,” says Lim. “We brought a girly, playful element to it.” His new intimates line is similarly sweet. There are five styles in various fabric and color combinations, with retail prices ranging from $65 to $175. Looks include slips with abstract pansy appliqués, mesh-trim bralettes and boyshorts with beaded embellishments. “We’ve named it 3.1 Phillip Lim Initials,” Lim says, “because it’s the initial thing you put on, before you put on clothes.” He adds that he’s limiting distribution to his own shops for now (to debut May 20) before the official launch for spring 2010, when the collection will take on the wholesale market. “That’s the beauty of having our own stores,” he says. “Because all these categories — we can test them there first. That way, we take the responsibility of fine-tuning the fit, the look, the price points.”
The same goes for his new shoe line, which is also having a soft launch for fall. Lim is no stranger to the footwear market — he has done collaborations with Birkenstock and Nicholas Kirkwood in the past and has no plans to abandon his relationship with Christian Louboutin. (Their ruffled platforms from spring were such a hit that Topshop opened in New York with a $190 knock-off.) Rather, Lim’s new collection, priced from $290 to $675, is geared towards more practical environs, not the fashion circuit — a point Lim reinforces by noting that his more out-there Louboutin designs will continue to accessorize his runway. “Everyone’s making crazy shoes,” says Lim, “so we were like, ‘Let’s do working shoes, but sophisticated and beautiful.’” To that end, there’s a serious focus on flats and nary a stiletto; height comes courtesy of stacked heels and wedges. Styles range from double-buckle monk shoes to pointed-toe jazz flats and giraffe-skin booties. The men’s collection features two high-top sneaker styles, one lined in shearling.
Tagged as: phillip lim
