A New DAWN

After two decades at the helm of his namesake label, fashion designer Phillip Lim sets sail on a new chapter. In conversation with Vogue Singapore, he looks back on the lessons learnt, the significance of mental health and the endless possibilities ahead.

- MAYA MENON

When fashion designer Phillip Lim shared that he was stepping down from his namesake label in mid-November after two decades at the helm as creative director, it marked the end of an era, sending a ripple effect through the industry. In a true reflection of the designer, it was met with an outpouring of love, respect and admiration. Since its inception, 3.1 Phillip Lim has embodied an inimitable zeitgeist in New York and beyond, forged by two close friends—each then 31 years old, Lim from southern California and his partner, Wen Zhou, from New York—united by a shared love for fashion. “My mother and her sewing machine are my biggest influences as a creative and a human being. She is also my hero. I was lucky that I had a parent who allowed me to discover myself without being overbearing. My father was quite stylish, so his flamboyance was embedded in me early on as well,” he shares. The result of Lim’s palpable passion was a groundbreaking fusion of innovation and ease, a vision that captivated the fashion world with an approach that placed women at its heart. It also sparked a movement for a league of Asian-American designers of the time, cementing the region’s contribution to innovation, beauty and the future.