“Put a wrench in it!” So mentioned my seatmate because the third look walked down the runway at Dion Lee’s spring 2024 present.
The white button-down-and-bodysuit hybrid had wrenches on prime of the boning that formed its corseted torso. That very same mannequin wore thigh-high boots with built-in device belts. The look prior was a tailor-made jacket with its seams slashed to carry one other belt in lieu of pockets, and the present’s opener consisted of a tailor-made jacket worn over a white shirt with metallic bars positioned over two of its seams. You absolutely know the drill by now: Officewear, instruments…we may name it workwear had the title not already been claimed.
Lee stretched this theme to a surprisingly huge vary of hardware-clad interpretations. “This season was primarily about evolving the utility and building language I’ve been enjoying with till now,” he mentioned at a preview, mentioning the scaffolding and industrial design in his Melbourne and Miami shops and the utilitarian detailing he’s explored of late. What’s compelling about Lee as a designer is his skill to each fixate—and cleverly increase on—a selected theme whereas managing to maintain his garments distinctly his.
Lee mentioned he began enjoying with energy cords as a solution to drape for his fall marketing campaign, which carried over into this assortment within the form of shirring particulars by the use of bungee cords. Notably enjoyable was a pair of trousers that had its again label changed with an outlet; the mannequin walked down the runway plugged in, carrying his coiled orange twine as a shoulder bag. The designer additionally used screwheads in lieu of studs throughout, turned suede work boots into tiny corsets, utilized lacing element to bottoms, and draped fantastically ethereal clothes, some with pin-tuck particulars round jewellery within the form of screws. A chunk he significantly nailed was the closing look, a crepe frock draped and ruched round an anatomically formed construction on the stomach. What the costume appears to be like and appears like whereas sitting down is the true query, but it surely’s not the sort of costume you put on to sit down down in anyway.
Elsewhere, Lee laminated denim and launched foiled leather-based for a glossy trace of texture. The latter was utilized in bubble-hem skirts and clothes, which added a welcome variation of form—these felt new for Lee, and it might be attention-grabbing to see him proceed to discover working away from the physique transferring ahead. (Talking of the physique, there have been a number of appreciated expansions in sizing in Lee’s casting.) Additionally cool had been his lace lingerie-like explorations; they felt freshest the place they fell weightless across the physique slightly than constrict it.
One other improvement: Lee stepped away from his traditional monochromatic palette and strict class groupings to “combine issues in a bit extra.” The objective, he mentioned, was to supply an “exaggerated model wardrobe.” That’s the operative phrase right here, wardrobe—the reality is that it’s develop into reductive to label Lee’s garments as nothing aside from rave-ready. That they’re, and they’ll proceed to be, however he additionally gave his clients choices previous an evening out. Dion Lee has a number of extra instruments in his toolbox.
