It’s surprising enough when a designer steps down from a job. But when one departs from a brand that holds their name—which they built from the ground up—it is a different beast entirely. That might explain the shocked reactions to the news on November 13 that the designer Phillip Lim will leave his post as creative director of 3.1 Phillip Lim, a label he founded 20 years ago.
WWD reported the news on Tuesday, sharing a joint statement from Lim and 3.1’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Wen Zhou. “It is with great respect and gratitude for each other and our long partnership that we have decided to part ways at 3.1 Phillip Lim,” they said. “This moment marks a natural turning point for both of us, each with new goals and different visions for the future.” They statement further explained that Zhou will stay on as CEO and sole proprietor of the brand, while Lim heads off to “pursue new ventures.” Currently, there is no news regarding Lim’s future plans or a replacement creative director.
Lim on the runway following his spring 2025 show in September 2024.
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Lim and Zhou co-founded 3.1 Phillip Lim in New York City in 2005, quickly becoming a runway and red carpet staple, with offerings that included ready-to-wear, shoes, and bags. In 2007, the CFDA awarded Lim the award for Emerging Talent in Womenswear; at that time, the Southern California native was becoming known for his downtown designs that emphasized functionality along with style. Over the past two decades, 3.1 Phillip Lim has remained relevant while still maintaining independence, expanding into menswear and opening stores in New York, Hawaii, China, and Japan.
Like many brands, especially independent ones, 3.1 struggled during the pandemic, but Lim and Zhou made it through, with Lim designing a comfort-focused line of “at-leisure” wear, his answer to ath-leisure. That was also around the time Lim co-founded the House of Slay, a collective made up of “The Slaysians,” Prabal Gurung, Laura Kim, Tina Leung, and other Asian creators in the fashion industry, in an effort to fight back against anti-Asian sentiments. “Our idea was to be unapologetically celebratory of who we are, what we do, the lives we live, and each other,” he told W in 2022.
Some of “The Slaysians” Phillip Lim, Tina Leung, Prabal Gurung, and Ezra William.
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Following the pandemic, 3.1 Phillip Lim took a break from the runway, presenting collections instead by private appointment. But the label returned for Lim’s spring 2024 collection, and has remained a NYFW staple for the subsequent seasons. In September, Lim presented his spring 2025 collection for 3.1 as part of New York Fashion Week. The show acted as a 20th anniversary celebration for the brand. But in hindsight, it will also now be known as Lim’s final collection for his eponymous brand.
