One often internally groans when a designer says they are inspired by florals. Say it with me, “groundbreaking!” So, it’s impressive when the designs feel fresh. Zoe Champion and Wei Lin were inspired by blooms for their pre-fall collection, but specifically scientific drawings of botanicals. This better fits into the eco-conscious knitwear label’s techy ethos (they’re known to experiment with textiles that change color when exposed to sunlight, and each of their patterns is programmed in a machine before it’s knit). Also, the spindly anthuriums and pansies are quite pretty.
As they’ve done in the past, Champion and Lin broke the collection into three distinct colorways: cherry red and white; chocolate and orange; and lavender and deep purple. None are for the faint of heart, but there’s a sophistication to each.
PH5 first introduced oversized clothes alongside their signature compact knits during its New York Fashion Week runway show in September. This season, they expanded on the concept with trapeze dresses, camp shirts, and wide-leg pants with a trompe l’oeil jean pattern. It’s another way that the brand is moving beyond their body-con wavy hem dresses. This season also saw new fringe trims and gradient sweaters with sculpted sleeves. PH5 experiments a lot with different silhouettes and textures, but these new proportions seem here to stay.
