Dion Lee is a beacon of sensual fashion (and arguably the purveyor of high-end ravewear among downtowners). The Australian designer’s subversive silhouettes oftentimes offer their wearers a transformational alter-ego, one that’s particularly unlocked upon passing a bouncer’s ID check at the club entrance. For Fall 2023, this “second skin” is Lee’s blueprint.
In a vacated Manhattan loft on Friday evening, the clubwear creator debuted this season’s collection, citing references in the following: “snake, serpent, scale, reptile, shedding, unraveling, ouroboros, etc.” He began this stylistic exploration with recurrent reptilian details: diamond hardware with “scale eyeleting” dressed up classic harnessing and surface treatments, while reptile skins were etched into leather boots and oversized accessories. Japanese shibori dye adopted a snake-like appearance, and textural scale prints, in black, white and pink, pumped dimension into form-flattering tops, collared coats and small bottoms.
Elsewhere, base-layer silhouettes were deconstructed and battered, mimicking the process of shedding — or, more specifically, ecdysis. Hosiery was hand distressed and so was denim. Both were done dramatically, leaving skin exposed in just the right places. Similarly, tethered ball chains draped over silk georgette dresses, mixed-gauge mesh accentuated the human form and “peeling” rubber depicted shedding in progress.
Outerwear received priority, with several translucent, blown-up puffer jackets offering a glimpse of their wearers’ beneath layers. Opaque puffers, cut like corsets and styled with low-waisted pants, offered subtle contrast, and leather coats were tailored with sharp shoulders. Overall, the collection’s layering (or, lack thereof) proved pivotal in chronicling the formation of its second skin.
Following the show’s conclusion, New York’s fashion crowd did what Lee’s clothes do best: party. At The Standard’s Boom Boom Room, the designer capped off the collection’s debut with a fête featuring a high-octane performance from rapper Azealia Banks.
Peruse Dion Lee’s FW23 collection in the gallery above.
Elsewhere, CELINE HOMME Winter 2023 “PARIS SYNDROME” is a hedonistic indie-electro paradise.
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