“Memories of Joy” took the tasteful, easy allure that the brand has fostered all these years and doused it in celebration.
3.1 Phillip Lim rang in 20 years with a collection set on revering the past. Titled “Memories of Joy,” Lim used SS25 to turn around and look at how far he had come.
“Joy is where it all started for me. The joy of moving to NYC on a whim, the joy of crafting the first trouser and the crooning of elation from first wear,” he said in an Instagram post. “I have been reflecting upon these early memories of joy as of late, perhaps an innate push against the present, complicated world and my desire to find my way back.” When you really think about it, 3.1 Phillip Lim will always be tethered to its start, when Lim and Wen Zhou founded the brand at age 31. But namesake side, 3.1 has always known who it is and who it’s for.
“The everyday hero,” to be exact, is how Lim describes his eternal muse. This hero was wholly present on Sunday evening, sensible in her choice of loose tailoring and comfortable sandals but uncompromising in her commitment to chicness.
Rather than assembling uniform looks, Lim paired together clashing styles: camo patched jorts and a delicate sheer lace appliqué blouse, a skirt made of dozens of rhinestone tassels and an oversized beige work shirt. The mélange of styles leant to the “nonlinear” and “fragmented” nature of memories that Lim wanted to convey. Ephemera was also ingested into the set design: massive, translucent, blurred panels that models of various ages snaked around.
Lim also mix-matched within individual pieces, setting acid wash denim, netting, and eyelash fringe against satins and chiffons. Movement, however, was not lost under heavier fabrics or oversized graphic tees.* Lim’s long-standing aversion to stiffness was reinforced by long strips of fabric and effortless draping. As models slipped around the corner of the panels, the remains of the garments wavered behind its hero for a moment before disappearing with her. This was best exemplified in Look 42 and the penultimate Look 50, two dramatic milky-white outfits. The latter was a near-spitting image of 3.1's SS07 collection, a palimpsest of a Phillip Lim throughout the ages — and a splendid way to end the show.
“Memories of Joy” took the tasteful, easy allure that the brand has fostered all these years and doused it in celebration. Save a few amiss neons and rhinestone accents, it worked. Being consumer-forward has always been a priority, especially when Lim and Zhou were just starting out. Now, 20 years later, 3.1 can have a little fun and still find a way to be practical – and beautiful. 🌀 7.6
*The celebration was dampened only slightly days later by accusatory statements from Girls Don’t Cry founder VERDY, who felt that Lim’s SS25 graphic tees were more than just similar, but direct copies of VERDY's work, referring to Lim as “uncreative and lazy.” Similarities aside, it’s worth clarifying that Lim is anything but.
Sophia Scorziello is a freelance writer from Connecticut who misses living in Los Angeles. Follow her on Twitter for unsolicited takes and Spotify links.
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