#LFW – London has always been a nexus for nurturing, developing, and ultimately, discovering unique talent. It is a place where fashion icons and legends are made and one designer with huge potential to step into their elevated and often difficult-to-walk-in shoes (see Naomi Campbell) is none other than designer Jenn Lee. A former graduate of UAL and described by Taiwan Vogue as the brightest new star in the fashion world in September 2018, Lee has continued to shine, going from strength to strength.
JENN LEE’s S/S24 collection centres on the theme of “crafting our own happiness” and embracing a spirit of radical individualism celebrating rebellious and refined inspired women from Vivienne Westwood to Audrey Hepburn mixing heritage punk with Hollywood glamour. Guided by her journey into motherhood, Jenn Lee drew inspiration from the boundless joy exhibited by her young son.
The various forms of artistic expression that JENN LEE straddles for S/S24 is a poetic dissension from our societal need for categorisation. Lee’s dedication to technology works to highlight the importance of the digital space to enable women greater freedoms in the world, while the themes within the video game created, and the focus on organic fabrics within the collection presented, encourage radical individualism and a nurturing of our natural desires and feelings. The informal mode of presentation advocates this nurturing of childlike joy and happiness and encourages guests to create their own paradise.
The 39-look collection was showcased alongside a video game produced with ACER and inspired by the nostalgic aesthetic of 90s comic books. Following a runway segment, models utilised the space as if it were their own home, playing video games, and music, and scrolling the internet while continuing to present the garments. Guests were then invited into the models’ private space, dismantling the boundaries between subject and observer and encouraging a laid-back viewing experience.
The game highlights the nuances of womanhood, from being a dominatrix to a mother at a rock concert. JENN LEE’s garments, alongside the virtual world she has created, are breaking down the assumptions that women need to fit into certain boxes, but in reality, happiness is achieved through embracing nuance.
Alongside the brand’s signature black and red palette, this season focuses on natural dyeing techniques and organic tones, artfully printing textiles with rust – the aim being to infuse each piece with a unique character and letting the materials take the lead, moving away from machine printing.
JENN LEE’s presentation space, created in collaboration with both ACER and MAKALOT, was equipped with laptops and screens for guests to immerse themselves into JENN LEE’s hyper-reality world. Presented with four female avatars dressed virtually in the new collection, players are taken on a series of quests to ascertain their potential to overcome different challenges.
Words by Lewis Robert Cameron
Photography by Dennis Fei
Styling – Callum Smith @callumsmitth
Music – Betty Apple @lovebettyapple
Set Design – Zoie Liao @junyaozoieliao
Make-Up – Lan Nguyen-Grealis @Lanslondon and team sponsored by Tweezerman and Seoulista Beauty
Hair – Matthew Curtis for KMS
ART DIRECTOR & PRODUCTION- JENN LEE @jennlee_official
