Phillip Lim

Phillip Lim

In a time when his parents believed that success can only kiss the feet if one is an engineer, lawyer or doctor – Phillip Lim was born in 1973 to change this belief. He started off studying business  and economics and endlearning cloth stitching technique. From a Chinese descent, Lim is  a flourishing American apparel designer – a field that wasn’t considered fruitful in his family. Although his mother was a seamstress, it wasn’t a job she willfully did.

For his eponymous label, Lim has acquired both commercial as well as critical acclaim and success. The designer co-founded 3.1 Phillip Lim collection with Wen Zhou, his business partner and friend, in 2005. The range includes a blend of femininity, luxury and confidence. Lim and Zhou introduced fashionable outfits displaying diverse cuts and designs, including flared and pretty dresses, tailored coats and jackets. A year after the launch of this line, Lim was nominated for Vogue Fashion Fund. Also, the Council of Fashion Designers of America rewarded Phillip Lim with an Emerging Talent in Women’s wear award.

Prior to this and after this line, Lim produced many collections that were praised by Nicole Phelps from Vogue magazine. For his menswear line, in 2012 he received the exalted Swarovski Award by CFDA, among other contenders like Rotarde and Thakoon Panichgul. In 2013, he successfully collaborated with Target retail store chain in Canada and America.

His most preferred eras of fashion has been the ’20s for elegance and the ’70s for sensuality. Although Lim is good at what he does, his best skill in tailoring involves sleeves and shoulders – a master at it.

Apart from his work life, Lim is very cautious about his personal dressing. He believes in overdressing or perhaps perfection is essential to him when he heads out for a dinner or party. Even at a casual meeting with someone, he spends time on his looks and prefers in being presentable and respectful. His sleepwear comprises of a male tank top and beat up lowers. On Sunday mornings, he usually wears what he slept in the night before. Moreover, at the age of sixteen, Lim bought a bracelet for himself and since then the designer never takes it off. His most liked clothing item, without which he cannot almost live, is a trench coat. Lim has described it as comfortable, simple and functional.

The designer is obviously surrounded by many people – his clients, employees, friends – but the light of Phillip Lim’s life is his Eastern European bulldog, Oliver. For Lim, he is perfect and witty. After waking up at 6:30 a.m. and sipping coffee, Lim always plays with Oliver before listening to music and reading. When all this is done, he goes off to work by 9 o’clock. Even in the evenings, when he arrives from work to home at 8:30 p.m., Lim’s first priority is his dog Oliver. The two take a short stroll. According to Lim, his daily routine is patterned and boring unless there is something exciting to do.

One thing besides fashion, that interests Lim, are flowers. There are always some orchids at his house. If designing was not his career, then he would have liked to become a botanist or a florist. The reason is that Lim has always loved to nurture something attractive and beautiful. Talking about beauty, his favorite place for holidays is Thailand and for Lim the country is exotic plus people are gentle and kind.

Well, the designer may be very popular but he is down to earth and doesn’t let his profession empower his personality.