An in-the-works store that hawks reworked vintage attire and unique arty facts was an apt location to shoot upcoming designer Pier Lim’s quirky, graphic design-influenced line. Stencil-painted walls in various states of dryness, dusty acrylic chandeliers and period upholstery that have yet to find their corners were in the process of becoming I Love You’s vision of an eclectic artistic hub.
Pier Lim, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, would always dress up whenever he got a chance to wear civilian clothing in high school. “It was so tame compared to the way I dress up now, but because I was in an exclusive boys school, it was scandalous,” Lim says cheekily. His collection conjures up spiders, stereos and scary cats, goth-pop designs which find themselves on flirty dresses and menswear-inspired coats. Japanese designers, street style, and lowbrow art are his constant wells of inspiration. The cat graphic on his tiered tube dress and the beautiful Alice/Anime Mermaid illustrations on the long coat are unique: they were custom-illustrated by his friend Kris Tiozon. “I like playing with disparate themes and bringing them together,” Lim says.
The new I Love You store will officially open on Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. at Cubao Expo so come celebrate with the I Love You girls Mimi Sanson, Corinne Ching and Sharon Atillo.