Aussie Design Star Dion Lee Debuts an Activewear Collaboration With Carbon 38
Luxury activewear has become so prevalent in our reishi tea, jade egg, yoga body, wellness-centric lifestyles that core functions of workout clothing—you know, comfort, stretch, moisture-wicking materials, et cetera—have been lost in favor of cool design, serene colors, and branded hype. Dion Lee is not one to gloss over functionality or fabrication, making his new collaboration of gym-ready garments with Carbon 38 a diamond in the rough in the over-saturated activewear market. Launching in Carbon 38 stores and online tomorrow, Lee’s collection ranges from the requisite bras and leggings to perforated skirts and dresses, all made using innovative material techniques.
“I’m very into my clothing finishes, so it was fun to get nerdy with activewear details,” Lee says. “It’s obviously something that’s been a trend in the marketplace for quite some time, but I was interested in doing activewear with someone who could do it in a really elevated way, using techniques that aren’t really possible in my ready-to-wear line. It was nice to explore some things like circular knitting and welded seams and bonded finishes; I was learning so much from it.”
Fans of the Australian designer will recognize details from his runway collections in the activewear range, none more exciting than his signature perforations, cut in hibiscus pink, ivory, and deep navy. “It was nice to move that language into the activewear space,” Lee begins. “Really, the great thing about those techniques is that they are designed for movement and to allow flexibility in garments, so it felt like a really appropriate evolution of that particular aesthetic within the brand.”
Lee reimagined his Fall 2019 corsetry for the gym in heat-welded seams on bustiers. But just because these pieces are made with high-sweat workouts in mind doesn’t mean they can’t also work in other situations. “It really is about something that can take you through many different engagements,” Lee says, noting the dresses, skirts, and outerwear. The multi-product approach was part of the reason Carbon 38 seemed like a good match. “They’re selling products we don’t typically perceive as activewear that demonstrate that the customer is not strictly shopping in that way. I think the customer is happy for a product to be quite multipurpose in terms of how it’s worn and where it’s worn,” he says.
Where and when you’ll see these pieces? Check out Sky Ting Yoga, one of Lee’s favorites in New York, or along running paths in his native Sydney.
Photo: Courtesy of Carbon 381/10
Photo: Courtesy of Carbon 382/10