Claudia Li is still a new name in the fashion scene. She debuted at New York Fashion Week last year with a Spring 2016 collection rooted in calmness. This season, she brings us self-preservation and recovery as a theme.
While Li was born in China, her roots are multi-national, encompassing life in New Zealand, Beijing, London and eventually New York City. She initially studied painting and fine arts, but it didn’t take long to make the switch to fashion design, which she brushed up on in Parsons. The masterful fine arts eye is perfect for the architectural landscapes Li has fathomed over the course of her young career.
A sea of origami knots, raw edged bell sleeves, tucked panels and relaxed but structured silhouettes dominated the Zen-like presentation at Artbeam. Beng all too familiar with the process of emotional and mental destruction followed by recovery and healing, the clothes captured the period of calm after the storm perfectly. The knots, while artful and sturdy, presented themselves half unraveled. The frayed edges on several sleeves formed prominent lines in a stack of layers. Meanwhile, several architecturally gravity-defying dresses hugged the models in a warm embrace.
Comfort evolved out of turmoil this season. Similarly, Claudia Li’s exploration of feeling and mood continues to be a spot on sport in her evolving eponymous label.
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