3.1 Phillip Lim

Phillip Lim was born in Thailand, in 1973 to Chinese immigrants (Phillip’s father is from Hunan and mother is from Canton) who then fled to Southern California to escape Cambodia's civil war, where his mother found work as a seamstress and his father became a professional poker player. While his mother has clearly had an early influence on his ethos, Lim didn’t fantasize of being a designer. Lim studied finance for three years at California State University of Long Beach, where it became evident that Lim was sitting in the wrong classroom and he found himself switching to a degree in home economics.

Whilst unpacking boxes at a weekend job at Barneys in Beverly Hills, Lim came across the name of a designer called Katayone Adeli’s. Lim had his own career epiphany: he would call Adeli’s office and ask to work for the designer. Despite not knowing what a portfolio was, he got himself an internship and eventually through his innate talent and tenacity, a position with her design team. When Adeli relocated to New York, Phillip Lim remained in the Los Angeles area and co-founded his first label, Development. After four years at Development, Lim, 31, departed to launch his most personal collection to date with business partner and friend, Wen Zhou, also 31. This meant switching coasts to New York, where he now works and resides in Soho.Phillip Lim debuted his eponymous brand, 3.1 Phillip Lim, in the fall of 2005, bucking the ostentatious runway trends of the time, his line of youthfully elegant wardrobe classics with a twist, was an instant sensation and adored by critics , fashion editors and customers alike. Widespread recognition of Lim’s talent and accolades quickly followed, including the 2006 Fashion Group Internationals Women’s Designer ‘Rising Star’ Award, the 2007 CFDA Swarovski Award in Womenswear, the 2012 CFDA Swarovski Award in Menswear, and the 2013 CFDA Award for Accessories Designer of the Year.After close to ten years, Lim as creative director and co-founder of 3.1 Phillip Lim, finds himself at the helm of a pioneering contemporary brand- designing women’s, men’s , accessories, and shoes - making him one of the most talented and successful young designers today.