Zane Li’s almost childlike approach to design felt refreshing when the market was chasing various forms of stealth-wealth dressing. Primitive colors paired with geometric shapes achieved by just a few darts on utilitarian fabric became a new proposition for fashion lovers on the hunt for fresh ideas.
For fall 2025, he drew inspiration from couture silhouettes from the post-World War II era and recreated them with thoughtful details fit for modern expectations. Li reinterpreted Cristóbal Balenciaga’s envelope dress with a brand-new inner construction, shifting the emphasis from bust to waist as the voluminous dress was now designed as a stiff, cotton blend upside-down skirt.
The collection also features innovative designs like double-layer T-shirts, boxy parkas, origami-like tank tops, and visually striking pieces with open backs and snapping details, and introduced more texture and versatility, including knit elements and cotton jersey, contrasting with previous woven collections.
“Normally we do darts on dresses and skirts to fit the curve of the body, but I wanted to do the reverse, which is to add darts on the flat surface and create a very nice volume,” said Li.
Some of the looks came from his observation of close friends. He designed a cocktail dress with a T-shirt attached to the back. Li said it came from seeing one of his girlfriends buying cocktail dresses and throwing them on the couch, never hanging them up.
