Derek Lam

History -

For Designer, Derek Lam, an interest in fashion came as no surprise. Lam’s parents owned a successful business importing fashions from Asia. Growing up he spent long hours admiring the designs with his parents. In 1990 Lam decided to begin his career in New York City, where he attended Parsons and received a degree in fashion design. Some people refer to Derek Lam as an overnight success because of how effortlessly he floated up the ladder of the fashion industry. He worked as Michael Kors’ assistant designer and quickly became appointed Vice President of design for the Michael Kors’ brand. After learning as much as he could, Lam decided to launch his own fashion label in ’03, which took off immediately. With 2 CFDA awards under his belt he has broadened his label to include shoes, eye wear and jewlery.

Aesthetic -

There is a chic, sporty feel to Derek Lam’s designs, with a touch of retro. His easy to wear pieces look luxurious and yet so simple. He mixes straight, sharp lines with exaggerated proportions, soft edges and solid colors. “Soft precision” is the way that Deidre Perez explains Lam’s aesthetic.

Pre-fall 2015 is a perfect display of classic Derek Lam. A neutral color palette of black, camel, ivory and “biscuit” plays beautifully against the array of reds, indigo and even lavender. Lam incorporates his retro aspect by taking us back to the mid 20th century with his Kazimir Malevich inspiration.

Works Cited:

"Derek Lam- 1967- Present." 20th Century Designers. January 1, 2012. Accessed January 11, 2015. http://20thcenturydesigners.blogspot.com/p/derek-lam-1967-present.html.

Singer, Maya. "Derek Lam Pre-Fall 2015." STYLE.COM. December 11, 2014. Accessed January 12, 2015. http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/pre-fall-2015/derek-lam.

Perez, Deirdre. "Derek Lam." WGSN. December 8, 2013. Accessed January 12, 2014. http://www.wgsn.com/blogs/catwalks/derek-lam-14.