We are so proud of our brand partner Dion Lee for presenting yet another standout show at New York Fashion Week.
 
Lee’s spring-summer 2019 collection titled ‘Privacy’ includes a first for the brand, underwear and handbags.
 
Melissa Singer from The Sydney Morning Herald talks with Lee. Enjoy reading the full article below.

Australian designer Dion Lee makes a fashion faux pas a trend at NYFW
By Melissa Singer
10 September 2018 — 12:00am

 

Designer Dion Lee can finally say he's dressing Australian women from the inside out, after launching his debut lingerie collection in New York.
On Saturday, US time, Lee showed his "Privacy" spring-summer 2019 collection, which, in a first for the brand, includes underwear and handbags.

Lee, together with part owners Cue Clothing Company, had previously expanded into footwear and this was the next logical step, he said.
"In our [previous] fall-winter collection we started with this idea of fusing military elements and lingerie... with this collection I was curious to work with lingerie manufacturers and build it as a standalone category," he said. "That became the starting point, and then it became about what clothes worked with that."

Lee said customers had been asking for lingerie for some time, given the "conceal and reveal" nature of many of his pieces.

 
"There's a lot of skin in the garments and [customers wonder], 'How do I wear that?', so it's nice to provide a solution to that," he said.
The collection included many Lee signatures – laser-cut culottes and fine pleating – but also an added layer of femininity that juxtaposed with the more tailored, structured jackets and shorts.
"I loved playing with the really delicate lace and that's something I haven't threaded throughout a collection before," he said. "I love the lightness that brought."

In an optical illusion, models in the show appeared to be wearing fine lace draped against their skin that on closer inspection were fine temporary tattoos created by the make-up team.

And while most of the models wore footwear from Lee's collection, while scattered throughout were another Australian icon, the Havaiana thong.
"They were a grounding element for how delicate and how elevated some of the pieces were. It was nice to bring an ease to something that is quite precious. It's a nice high-low balance."

Lee said the business is looking at expanding into even more new categories, with accessories a major push in the wholesale arm, and there are plans afoot to open his first boutique in New York.