On November 13, designer Phillip Lim announced that he is stepping down as creative director of his namesake brand, 3.1 Phillip Lim. Lim’s final collection for the brand was presented during New York Fashion Week in September this year, celebrating the brand’s 20th anniversary with the Spring/Summer 2025 collection.
Lim stated on his Instagram account, saying the following:
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. 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.
From the very beginning, our goal was to create something meaningful, and along the way, we realized 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.
This moment marks a natural turning point for both of us, each with new goals and different visions for the future. Wen will stay on as CEO and sole proprietor of 3.1 Phillip Lim, while Phillip will pursue new ventures. Though our partnership is ending, the brand remains in capable hands and we are certain will continue to thrive.
Spring 2025 will remain Phillip’s last collection with the brand.
With gratitude,
Phillip Lim & Wen Zhou
3.1 Phillip Lim was founded in 2005, when Phillip Lim and Wen Zhou created the brand in New York with the concept of “approachable beauty.” Since then, it has become an icon of contemporary American fashion. The brand offers a wide range of items, from dresses and tailoring to bags, shoes, and accessories, and has expanded globally, with stores from New York and Hawaii to China and Japan.
When the COVID pandemic struck, Lim went beyond his role as a designer to respond to social issues, co-founding “House of Slay” with designer Prabal Gurung and influencer Tina Leung, among others, to combat anti-Asian sentiment and deliver a message against racial discrimination.
Following the pandemic, the brand presented collections through private appointments and made a triumphant return to New York Fashion Week in September 2023. The Spring/Summer 2024 collection drew significant attention, with Awkwafina and Nicky Hilton among the celebrities in the front row.
Zhou, the brand’s co-founder, is expected to remain as CEO and sole owner, but the successor for the creative director role has yet to be determined.