Lee Mathews Resort 2019
Initial inspiration for the Lee Mathews Resort 19 collection came from the iconic American architect Frank Llyod-Wright, designers Charles & Ray Eames, and minimalist artist Donald Judd. It was not only for their striking body of work but also their belief that design should be in harmony with humanity and the environment.
With this concept in mind, Creative Director Lee and newly appointed Head Designer Natalia Grzybowski began with a grounding palette of creams and clays, punctuated with pops of mint, orange and blue. These colours appear across a hybrid of natural textiles and zero-waste fabrics - from organic cottons to a coated zero-waste Italian linen and ethically sourced silks.
Silhouettes revolve around fluidity and represent the curves of nature; sheer Summer dresses sweep the ground with river-like tiers and blooming sleeves shoot like flowers from shift dresses. At times a nod to artist due Christo and Jeanne-Claude appears in gowns that roped and wrapped, don't look dissimilar to the artist's well known landscapes.
This human-nature theme deepened to explore more sustainable practises across the brand, and has resulted in Lee Mathews' most sustainable collection to date. Whilst continuing a signature use in natural textiles (biodegradable and organic) Lee Mathews is working with fabrics from mills at the forefront of waste, energy and water reduction. One discovery was EcoNyl, a material produced in an infinite loop system, crafted from rescued nylon and discarded fishing nets. This has led to a debut Swim Capsule of 5 timeless styles.
Collectively, these precise compositions represent the vision and hope of change in the fashion industry, one where the environment is no longer an absent factor in the manufacturing process.
Lee Mathews is striving to grow & change; challenging the team to act more responsibly, produce more thoughtfully and continue to create beautiful clothing that can be passed on to future generations.
View the Collection here: leemathews.com.au