His latest fall/winter collection (above), shown at New York Fashion Week last month, did not earn designer Phillip Lim many gushing reviews.
The New York Times, calling the 36-year-old 'an engine of affordable fashion', described the collection as "adept".
Lim, noted The Los Angeles Times, elevates "classic sportswear pieces to must-haves with the slightest design tweaks".
More flamboyant designers may demand more ardent adulation. But in a world where even the most esteemed fashion houses and lauded designers are not immune to economic turmoil (see Reality bites), Lim - with the modest praise and solid sales his clothes attract - may well have the last laugh.
In an exclusive e-mail interview with Urban, he reveals that the inspiration for his latest collection draws from "the New York underground scene in the late 1970s. The young vibe of the rock 'n' roll set feels very free and very inspiring".
But no matter what the seasonal inspirations are, he likes to stay true to the mission statement of "classic with a sense of madness", with more of an emphasis on classic and all the commercial viability the word implies.
Since starting his label 3.1 Phillip Lim in 2005, his stylishly wearable designs have been sold in more than 400 boutiques and department stores in over 45 countries.
In 2007, he expanded into menswear, kidswear and eyewear and opened his first standalone boutique in Manhattan. Currently, 3.1 Phillip Lim stores can also be found in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Seoul.
In Singapore, you can find his designs at Club 21. Since last December, his eyewear (Picture 3) has been available exclusively at Seen@Dempsey, a designer eyewear boutique in Dempsey Road. Prices for the line range from $313 to $375.
Lim's expanding empire is all the more impressive for its consistent growth.
According to a 2007 New York magazine article, the label - named after Lim's age when he launched the brand - pulled in US$2.8 million in its first six months and US$12 million for the fall 2007 season alone. And he is just getting started.
"We are currently going through the growing pains of a small company learning to operate like a big one and are instilling an organised process," he says.
Born in Thailand to Chinese parents who eventually emigrated to California, this one-time economics student is known for a consistent aesthetic and impeccable organising skills.
For his eyewear collections, for example, 'it was important that we were producing eyewear that was well-made and that had uncomplicated styles with hidden details', he says.
Fans can expect the 3.1 Phillip Lim brand to branch out into other areas such as homeware in the future.
"We are fortunate because the way we work and the choices we make are super efficient and accurate, so we don't have to rely on collaborations. Our ready-to-wear is a unique product and the consumers recognise and validate this."
[email protected]
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
