CASTING NOTES
Designer Claudia Li debuted her spring 2019 collection on cast of thirtyfive
Asian female models at her seasonal runway show as part of New
York Fashion Week on September 9th, 2018. As a fashion moment, the
visual impact demonstrated the power of representation, the strength
of numbers and engaged in a cultural conversation about Asian
identity and representation in media and society at large. The casting
concept was developed in tandem with casting director Edward Kim
from The Talent Group.
SPRING SUMMER 2019 RUNWAY
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
spring 2019 collection is inspired by the designer’s personal memories of a childhood spent in New Zealand.
Key colors come from nature: light blue from the open expanses of sky and ocean, a soft buttercup yellow from the Mount Cook lily, and a saturated magenta that resonates deep in Claudia Li’s memory from a painting of her mother’s in the house where she grew up.
Memory factors into the prints as well. Having walked in her mother’s garden as a child, oversized blooms are remembered from the vantage point of a small child. Original floral artwork was hand-drawn in the Claudia Li New York studio and applied across the collection as embroideries, hand-stitched appliqués and custom-printed fabrics.
The silhouette is comprised of core Claudia Li standards: exaggerated collars and sleeves, wide-legged jeans, layered outerwear, and the contrast between tailoring and fluid draping.
Season-specific elements include multicolor woven braids used across belts, straps and bag handles, as well as deliberate rouching on sleeves and along the waist to give outwear a new volume.
Overall, the collection demonstrates an evolved maturity: the spring 2019 collection is proposed as full looks that can be easily integrated into an everyday wardrobe. Its wearability reflects the pragmatic realities of a self-directed woman who has a taste for design and a clear point of view on the world.
