Australian Fashion Week kicks off today with a milestone show from Dion Lee. Not only will it be the first fashion show this season at the Sydney Opera House, but it will also be Lee’s biggest presentation to date, bringing together the many ranges within his brand—from swim to suiting to sunglasses—and serving as the debut for his menswear collection. “As a designer, I’ve always been attracted to designing tailoring, shirting, and outerwear, and a lot of the things that are within the profile of the brand have always been slightly on the more masculine side, so it felt like a natural progression to move into menswear,” Lee said over the phone the day before his show. “It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do personally, and it’s something that we’ve had a lot of interest in.”
So who is the Dion Lee guy? In many ways, the look is analogous to Lee’s much-loved womenswear—sleek, sporty, and tailored to a T—but with a casual spirit that seems intrinsic to Australian style. A preview of the capsule collection, above, shows some of the cobalt blazers, crisp white anoraks, and smart knitwear that will walk the runway alongside his women’s Resort 2018 collection. “The idea was really to show them in tandem and the menswear helps to highlight a lot of the elements within the women’s collection that have always been present. It kind of reinforces the codes of the brand,” Lee said. “I wanted to draw parallels between the men’s and women’s.”
For now, Lee’s menswear will remain a capsule collection within his main line, to be sold in his half dozen Australian stores and in a wider market. And though there aren’t plans just yet to show menswear on the fashion calendar, Lee has some other exciting ventures to keep him occupied. He recently moved his studio from Sydney to New York—he’s already been back and forth between the two cities a cool three times this year—and so the prospect of a New York retail store looms. “We’ve definitely been looking at spaces and exploring opportunities, but we’re not rushing into anything.” Keep your eyes peeled for where Lee’s sleek designs might show up next.