Patrick Michael Hughes Senior Fashion Editor
Food can be a wonderful metaphor which many people can share as a form of experience and memory. Victor Li Fall 2020 studied the act of travel and the seduction of the senses linked to global experience. Li states, ".... gastronomy opens us to some of the best cultures in the world." However, it's the appetite for the process of global exploration to experience new palates which excites Li. He adorned a number of his looks with food motif 'badges of honor' like an Eagle Scout flaunting his experienced hunger for adventure. This a natural manner for Li to create and design since much of his inspiration comes from his extensive travel and art background.
The fall 2020 collection was a mixture of layered looks with some stunning knits enhancing his his earthy hues. A palette of red, moss green, slate, heather blue and tan, a classic fall assembly of wool jersey, corduroy and woven fabrications. What was a quite eye-catching this season was his work with custom fabrication. Li typically sources many of his fabrics in Italy and Japan adding a tactile and visual form of storytelling in his clothes. The consistent narrative is well cut, classically formed and tailored suits and jackets with medium lapels, two button fronts often with a full cut trouser. Everything is easy to work with and travel in with fresh seasonal flexibility of shorts and cropped lengths The scarves and outerwear were also a of varying lengths and fabric weights. There was a a lot of corduroy, however, it was a corduroy coat cleverly draped in a wool jersey flat pattern drape an astute styling detail enhancing Li's obvious love of hearty and supple textile adding to this season's trompe'oeil playfulness.
Victor Li's Fall 2020 was a very thoughtful and well done collection, showing both men's and women's styles. This season he partnered with REEBOK to create a special shoe for the brand... the strength and sustenance of Li 2020 collection were the knits and the custom designed textiles evoking a sense of handcraft and collected materials.
