Menswear Designer, Victor Li Talks Designing Gender-Neutral Clothing To Last
WITH VICTOR LI
Since his initial brand launch in 2018, Victor has produced four collections that have paid great tribute to his travels, culture, and overall outlook on life.
Photography, Frederic Georges
Words, Douglas Henry Lewis In Conversation with Victor Li
VIEW GALLERY
All the elements that make up the age-old idea of craftsmanship in modern day fashion can be attributed to the clothes belonging to the 25-year-old artisan of menswear, Mr. Victor Li. Taking distinct elements from his own adventures across the globe, Victor constructs pieces that are continuously turning heads from LaGuardia to LAX.
The Victor Li brand offers specialty suiting with distinct details such as: the collarless blazer with leather trimming, wide-leg jersey trousers and cuffed tailored joggers which are in perfect sync with his vision of elegant and comfortable travel for men. The outerwear assortment consists of luxurious shearling flight jackets and cutting edge designs like kimono jackets in wool jersey. Vibrant and meticulous down to the very last stitch, the material has been sought out and looked after with the utmost care. The stitching is second to none, and the cut of the garments effortlessly flatters the wearer.
From his most recent Autumn/Winter 2020 collection, we see specialty accessories expertly paired with fabulous coats like chic leather beltings and long-length reversible scarves.
I design for the modern man and it’s classic.
THE LOOK
Double Breasted Two Tone Coat, VICTOR LI FW19
With great pride, Victor happily shares that his suiting business is doing very well amongst his clients. Inclusive of his stance as a Parsons graduate, proud Chinese-American, and culture collector, he recently decided to expand his label to include accessories and womenswear so that everyone can enjoy his creations.
BO: Tell us a little bit about your journey from your Parsons senior thesis collection with the burning paper inspiration.
VL: So for my thesis collection, it was about paper offerings in China. It was very personal for me because during my thesis year, my grandmother passed away. I had the full experience of the Chinese scenery and the paper offerings. My thesis collection was dedicated to my grandmother and I used the paper offering as this concept and made the whole collection out of paper. The concept of it was that when you burn all these paper offerings, it will get into the outer world. It carries memories and love.
BO: It was beautifully constructed and the craftsmanship was just out of this world. Could you begin to tell me a bit about the origin of the Victor Li brand?
VL: The concept behind the brand is all about a traveling lifestyle based on the trips and locations I’ve been to. So, I’ll take certain elements from the trip and I’ll be inspired by the colors, and the experience. In turn, we’ll take those elements out and then we start creating different details. For example, all of the patches (from the brand’s most recent AW20 collection) – that’s how I started.
I always want to create a timeless and classic style for men. When we started our brand, we only produced four batches in New York City and we assembled the material from Italy, France, and Paris. I design for the modern man and it’s classic, but I will have interesting details on a classic silhouette like a buckle or layers. Little touches to make it more elevated, more fun and young - versus a full-length suit.
Every season we develop custom fabrics which can be inspired by my trips, the city landscape, and where I’m going on the trip: both India, and my trains to Prague, in Italy, France, and over in Japan.
All of the production is in New York so that I can put my eyes on it and I can go check if everything is right.
THE LOOK
Tan Corduroy Suit, VICTOR LI FW20
I believe clothing should be genderless and we are expanding to become a unisex brand.
BO: You definitely take that extra step to make sure that your design is matching up with what is actually being produced. Recently we’ve seen that you are making more accessories – like the long scarf that we saw (from the AW20 collection) and the belts! Could you go into more detail about why you carry each product category?
VL: I initially started with the idea of making a modern-day “gentleman look” and contemporary items that you can wear to a meeting, and a date, or to walk the dog! Now we have a lot of people asking “Do you guys make womenswear or girls sizes?”
So, our focus is slowly turning towards a unisex brand. So that’s why in the presentation, we started putting looks on female models as well and we’ll have accessories like scarves and bags to make the looks look more elevated. It’s about the concept of putting the 10 things you can put in your suitcase when you travel. In a travel bag, you can put a scarf, a shirt, and everything else you need for a trip.
I think sustainability is a direction that should be carried in every stage of the creative process.
THE LOOK
Embroidered Carrot Suit, VICTOR LI FW20
BO: It’s very smart that you’re listening to your consumers. It seems that in today’s time, now more than ever, the customer demand seems to be driving what ultimately goes into production. That takes a very focused take on communication on the brand’s side. In what ways do you interact with your customers?
VL: I think communication and interaction comes through two channels - how I and the brand express ourselves, and LISTENING to what our customers want and need. Essentially, the VICTOR LI brand is my way of communicating my aesthetics and perspective. I put a lot of thought into curating our social feeds, and we try to do as many photoshoots of our looks as we can manage to showcase how I envision telling the brand story. As I grow, and the brand grows with me, I want my audience to be there along my journey. May that be through early stage creative process, to behind the scenes footage.
I started VICTOR LI with the idea to make modern day gentlemen attire, to translate the invincible feeling that I get when I am in a suit, yet easy enough to wear to a casual coffee date. As our collections come out, a lot of my girlfriends love to wear our suits, it makes them feel empowered and ready to take on the day and whatever challenge that comes their way. That’s why this season, I started presenting with female models as well. I believe clothing should be genderless and we are expanding to become a unisex brand. It is not really about what you wear but how you feel in it. And I want to translate that in the garments we make.
BO: Do you consider VICTOR LI a luxury brand?
VL: I think luxury is a term that can be redefined and re-interpreted. I don’t believe that a price should define the value and aesthetic. I want to create an elevated, modern lifestyle. So as I am growing and the brand grows with me, we are expecting the brand to become a unisex brand and to open to more audiences. That’s my goal. I want it to be empowering.
BO: I know you launched “VTR Brooklyn” back in December, 2019. How is that going for you?
VL: We are still developing more styles and categories. The whole concept of the brand is about sustainability and using recycled materials to produce all the garments.
BO: Speaking of sustainability, what's your reaction to its state in fashion and its ideas of limiting consumerism? Does it help or put your business at risk?
VL: I think sustainability is a direction that should be carried in every stage of the creative process. Not only are we conscious in production techniques and material selections, I also believe in creating something that’s timeless and classic - clothing our customers can keep in their wardrobes for seasons and decades. I think sometimes we get carried away in chasing the hottest trends, and make impulsive purchases that would only stay in the closet and I think that’s the most wasteful. Something like a well designed suit never goes out of style.
BO: What excites you the most about creating the brand?
VL: I think the most exciting thing about creating a brand is the opportunity and platform to express my perspective as I learn and grow. I started VICTOR LI right after graduation from Parsons, and what I didn’t realize is that it’s so much more than just making clothes. When I first started, I didn’t have a lot of experience running a business or putting together a show. Now I know where to look for express printing, or what type of stage platform to order. I am thankful for everyone who has been a part of this journey with me, and I’m excited to see what the future brings.
