This article first appeared on Vogue Business.
Phillip Lim is stepping down as creative director of 3.1 Phillip Lim, the brand he co-founded with his friend and business partner Wen Zhou in 2005. Zhou will carry the brand forward as sole owner and CEO, while Lim pursues “new ventures”.
The co-founders said it marked a natural turning point for them both. “It is with great respect and gratitude for each other and our long partnership that we have decided to part ways at 3.1 Phillip Lim,” they said in a joint statement. “As the brand moves into a new chapter, we are so proud of what we have built and the strength of genuine community around us. Our shared vision and hard work has allowed us to stay independent and achieve remarkable success in a constantly changing and challenging industry.”
Since its debut at New York Fashion Week for Autumn/Winter 2005, 3.1 Phillip Lim has expanded its pretty-but-cool, accessible luxury offer to include womenswear, menswear, accessories and footwear, with stores in New York, Hawaii, China, Japan and South Korea, and customers in over 12 countries. “The secret to Lim’s success is his eye for changing trends and his ability to incorporate them into his own brand vocabulary,” wrote Vogue Business and Vogue Runway’s Nicole Phelps in her review of the SS25 show.
SS25 will be Lim’s last collection for the brand. Fittingly, the show on 8 September was a celebration of his 20 years in business, and he brought his studio team out with him for the final bow.
“From the very beginning, our goal was to create something meaningful, and along the way, we realised we could also inspire positive change, champion creativity, responsibility and collaboration. We are incredibly proud of the impact we’ve made for the past 20 years and for that we will be eternally thankful,” the co-founders said.
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