Canadian-British designer Edeline Lee is known for her performative shows at London Fashion Week. With choreographed movements that tell a story, her runways bring minimalist and forward-thinking womenswear to life. In the wake of the pandemic, London Fashion Week has gone entirely virtual, inspiring Lee’s 2021 Autumn/Winter collection to focus on themes of memory and human connection. Following the new parameters, Lee’s digital premiere stayed true to the immersive spirit of her shows. Centred around a mesmerizing soundscape, Lee encourages viewers to put on headphones and close their eyes as the 15-minute story begins.
Set in a futuristic world, the audience hears an interaction between a woman named Georgia and an artificial intelligence system she names Lynne. Lynne is working to retrieve memories from Georgia to store for future use. As Georgia contextualizes the memories for Lynne, she is obliged to reflect on the passing of her mother and a dress that she ties to many memories of her. The story examines how memories and emotions can be threaded into fabric, representing a connection that is as real as a human connection. This virtual show gets to the core of how complex memories and emotions can be, creating a very human experience through a screen. By having viewers shut off their other senses and direct their attention to sound, Lee’s show allows viewers to enter a state of tranquillity. She gets them to stop for 15-minutes and really take a deep and thoughtful breath, which is something that the gravity of this past year has hindered many from doing.
The collection, presented after the story, shows how clothing is an important part of the human experience and an important part of bringing normalcy to these unprecedented times. Lee’s sophisticated designs inspire women to put structure back into their lives by putting on clothes that will empower them through the workday, even if that workday is on a screen.
