Summary: Although part of the Mercedes-Benz NYFW docket, Yeohlee took her nature-inspired collection back to its source, showing her looks in a quiet Manhattan courtyard. Inspired by “Jones Wood, the setting for her show, and the balance between geometry and nature,” Yeohlee’s SS12 collection is a powerful one, resonating with the detailed touch of a skilled architect who gleans their inspiration from the world around them.
When it comes to selecting fabric, Yeohlee is a master. While the color palate and roundness of her looks are soft, her manipulation of fabric is sharp — allowing the designer to mold and sculpt cowl necks, capes, and diaphanous jackets that are built soundly around the body. A favorite look is a cream cotton cape jacket, which maintains its structured cylinder despite movement. This technique is replicated in the cowls of her blouses, which offer a voluminous perspective to the collection’s more simple shapes.
The balance of geometry and nature that Yeohlee speaks of is powerfully evident in the overall aesthetic of this collection. Her color palate is soft and harmonious, but this is combated by her subtly radical design, which infuses structure into the very elements of a wardrobe which have the greatest propensity for movement. There is a science to Yeohlee’s design sensibility that elevates her as an artist. Defying the trend-driven machine allows her to produce inspired garments that work from the body and function duly as clothing and artwork. Her passionate sensibility radiates from her garments — an experiential moment in fashion that is a true treat.
Colors: Aqua, cream, flannel grey, white, metallic, matte ivory, khaki, cream, shibori waterfall, iridescent gold, sand paper, gold
Fabrics and Textures: cotton, silk, bonded cotton, pleating, cotton jersey, burnout cotton, stone washing, cross hatching, jersey, checkerboard, etching, linen
Key Looks: Gold filigree cylinder collar coat with a melange cotton knit top and gold filigree crescent shorts; cream translucent jersey layered top with etching skirt; cream bonded cylinder cape with a cream stone pleat top and cream bonded cotton shorts; multi-color cotton checkerboard loop top with iridescent gold box pleat skirt.
— Amanda Aldinger
Photos: NY Mag
