February 11, 2018 |
Dion Lee knows how to work his special powers. Precision, structure and a fluidity in sculptural shapes. Great powers to have, we must say. He doesn’t muck about. This collection was a military operation of soft glamour, gently defining and tracing the outline of a woman’s body. “I bought this flight suit at a military archive… it combined these very decorative, sensual details that made me think of lingerie,” he told us before the show. Legions of women in Dion Lee? We like this concept. Cargo pockets, combat pant detailing and the sense of camouflage nets but nothing was literal. It was a subtle exploration with a laser cut edged lightness.
Since the first collection, Dion has mastered incredible tailoring with a tomboyish androgyny. And so there were wools but free flowing, a harmonious fusion of utilitarian nylons and cottons combined with delicate sheer georgette and satin that oozed luxuriously. He likes a shot of colour, pure sage green and a jolt of bright red at the end. Keeps us on our toes. These women and men were in formation, nicely controlled. The menswear had a natural easiness, a restrained super cool, all urban attitude that comes from Dion taking up residence in New York for the past few years, feeding off the energy of the city, “It always has an influence on how you put the clothes together.” But be warned. “She’s a tough character. I wouldn’t mess with her, that’s for sure.”
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
