Redefining the essence of utilitarianism with a dash of sensuality, Dion Lee presents a riveting narrative that interweaves functional elements with audacious, provocative undertones in his Spring/Summer 2024 collection. The innovative designer, famed for his novel approach to fashion, toys with the idea of “tool shed corsetry,” a concept that fuses industrial aesthetics with his signature, seductive style. Through a meticulous amalgamation of seemingly contrasting elements, Lee crafts a collection that pays homage to his career-long journey of experimenting with industrial language while preserving an air of naïveté and fashion-forward vision.
Dion Lee’s approach to design is anything but conventional. He confesses, “I’m quite rough when I like to pin things, cut things up, and collage them together. It was a cut-and-paste of a lot of ideas that I’ve kind of been working into over my whole career.” This philosophy manifests in the collection through innovative uses of corsetry, adorned with trompe l’oeil wrenches as external boning on a white shirting bodysuit, and workwear boots’ cord lacing. Moreover, jewelry-like bent nails serve as structural supports for fluid dresses across the ribcage, while screws replace studs and utility pockets embellish the hems of tailoring. These elements come together to create a robust assortment of workwear garb, including undone overalls, cargo pants, utility kilts, and thigh-high boots, developed in collaboration with Paris-based brand, Both.
Balancing the robust, industrial details are Lee’s signature sexy cutout laces, which add a fresh and exciting twist when paired with elevated basketball shorts. Other notable pieces include collaborative parachute boots created with Ancuta Sarca, made from Lee’s deadstock materials, and sensual knit dressing juxtaposed against sportif jackets and sharply tailored layers.
Drawing inspiration from his previous fall collection, where he experimented with draping electrical cables, Lee advances this concept to create new gathered volumes. These are most prominently seen in his drapy, bubbled leather skirts, airbrushed from the side in metallic silver and red-hot hues. The designer explains that the light installation by multidisciplinary digital artist Jacolby Satterwhite inspired the collection’s play on light and reflectivity. This influence is evident in his ombre jeans and frayed, laminated denim and workwear pants. A particularly striking detail is the back tag of a khaki laminated utility pant plugged into an electrical cable slung around a model’s shoulder, adding an electrifying touch to the ensemble.
© Photos: DION LEE
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