Cover Dickson Lee’s spring-summer 2024 collection at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (Photo: courtesy of Dickson Lee)
Dickson Lee’s spring-summer 2024 collection at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (Photo: courtesy of Dickson Lee)
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In this four-part series, we meet emerging Asian designers who are championing accessibility, inclusivity and femininity, and looking to make a positive change through fashion. In part four, we get to know Malaysian designer Dickson Lim, who’s pushing the limits of formalwear
Since launching his eponymous brand in 2020, Dickson Lim’s innovative, unconventional and forward-thinking creations have been spotted on red carpets and award shows around the world. His highly sought-after creations have been worn by celebrities including The Sandman actor Mason Alexander Park, Taiwanese star Kuan-Ting Liu, American rapper 24kGoldn, influencer Bretman Rock and, most recently, TikTok personality and film correspondent Reece Feldman on the Oscars 2023 red carpet.
But until five years ago, Lim had no desire to work in fashion. His parents are tailors and, growing up, he had helped them out, and found the craft dull and repetitive. What changed his mind in 2018 was the global rise of fashion visionaries such as the late Virgil Abloh. “They were elevating streetwear and revolutionising luxury brands. I was fascinated by their fresh, young takes on traditional tailored silhouettes,” he says. “I couldn’t afford these designer items so I had to create them for myself.”
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Above Dickson Lim at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: courtesy of Dickson Lim)
Dickson Lim at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: courtesy of Dickson Lim)
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In 2020, the Sarawak-born designer was offered an opportunity to design a 30-piece collection for Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW). “It was surreal. I didn’t go to fashion school. I didn’t really know how to sketch, but I still said yes,” he says. Later that year, at the age of 19, he made history as the youngest fashion designer to debut at KLFW.
Building on that momentum, Lim founded his eponymous fashion label—a bold creative and commercial move as the entire fashion industry was reeling from the shock of the pandemic. “It was a steep learning curve because there was no reference point. At the time, no one was doing what I was doing. I had to learn everything myself,” he says, recounting endless hours watching YouTube videos and poring over books for beginners. “To this day, I’m a one-man team. I’m still figuring out everything through trial and error, from designs to pricing and marketing strategy.”
Lim’s reimagination of the classic tailored suit, with playful cut-outs, exaggerated proportions and edgy streetwear elements, has resonated with a wide audience online, particularly in the menswear space, where a generation of young, fashion-forward men—like Lim—are looking to express themselves and their interests in a unique way.
Reflecting on his journey so far, he says, “It has been a dream come true for me, especially to see my designs at one of the most prestigious red carpets in the world. I was just a kid from a small city in East Malaysia where people didn’t believe in me when I first started out. I’m very proud of my younger self for not letting the imposed limitations from others get to me and for continuing to pursue my ambition against all odds.
My ultimate goal for [my brand] is straightforward,” he says. “I don’t want to be just a fashion brand that sells clothes; I want to be a brand with purpose, that creates a positive change in the world. I want my brand to serve as a reminder to the world to dream without limits.”
With his latest spring-summer 2024 collection Heatwave, he once again pushes the limits of the conventional suit, playing with more daring cuts, prints and more traditionally feminine materials. He is also taking the opportunity to lean into his newfound reputation as a role model and inspiration for fellow young designers, announcing a new video series released last month. It documents the creation of his latest collection.
“I have been filming my daily process from start to finish, from how I begin sketching new designs down to the creation of the garments. Larger fashion brands work in secret with outsourced manufacturers. At [Dickson Lim], we’re going the opposite direction to promote transparency. I want people to see the passion and care that I’ve poured into everything I create.”
Based in Kuala Lumpur, Zue Wei Leong is the senior style writer at Tatler Malaysia. Read her stories on the latest in fashion, beauty and jewellery or follow her on Instagram at @fshnbrnr.
