Edeline Lee walked the line between playful and chic this season, looking to Dada artist and feminist icon Hannah Höch for inspiration. The result was a strong and sensual wardrobe with a touch of whimsy.
Höch was the first female artist in the Berlin Dada movement, representing “the new woman” in an era that was tough on women. “This was post-World War I – a very nervous period, not so different from today,” Lee noted at her presentation, adding: “We have a strong idea of what a ‘lady’ was supposed to look like in the past, but how should a capable, independent woman dress today, pertaining her grace and dignity, yet still be comfortable?”
The answer came in the form of handsome jacquard dresses with a bubble-wrap texture – cinched at the waist, but with a wavy hemline. Lee is one of those designers who still cuts her own patterns.
She created oversized boiled wool coats with quirky buckles as ornaments and a dropped shoulder for freedom of movement. Traditional men’s wear tailoring, including roomy suits, came in chic worsted, while tailored skirts and dresses got twisted with flares and ruffles.
All of it felt current and desirable. One could see why Lee – whose collection is only in its third year – has attracted the eye of Alicia Vikander, Taylor Swift and Solange Knowles, among other creative ladies.
