Neoprene vests and a biker vibe at Phillip Lim
NEW YORK (AP) — You always have a feeling at one of Phillip Lim's runway shows that you're at one of the hipper events of New York Fashion Week. You can feel it in the audience, which has a decidedly downtown, indie-music vibe, and you can see it in the clothes.
A big sartorial theme that emerged at Monday's show was embossed neoprene. Lim began with an overcoat in that fabric, in a fresh grapefruit color. Like many of his inventive creations it had something detachable, in this case a leather bib.
Motorcycle jackets were big, too, and Lim showed a peplum version, paired with a gray pullover, a khaki shirt, and shorts — again in grapefruit neoprene.
Lim seemingly agrees with many designers this season that coats should be big — as in oversized — and comfy, and he showed a few. One was in a nice teal color, paired with a black leather jacket underneath, with a "bike snap" detail.
As in many outfits, this ensemble was presented along with seriously cool shoes. Are over-the-knee boot sandals right for fall and winter? (We speak of the sandal part.) Who cares — the ensemble was lots of fun to examine.
For those who were thinking about the cold weather outside, though, Lim had a few luscious items in angora: A tunic dress in black, and a pullover, also in black, paired with a striped pleated skirt.
A couple of gem-embroidered tops seemed out of place in their shininess — bordering on gaudy, much unlike the rest of the 45 ensembles. Perhaps the most fun item, though, was saved for last: A lavishly embellished denim jumpsuit. For good measure, it was paired with a motorcycle vest in black leather: classic Lim.
