Zoe Champion and Wei Lin tackled a big topic—the pluses and minus of AI—with their compact pre-fall collection. Given that they use computerized production for their no-waste knits, the challenge of imitating a machine’s mistakes was more complicated than it might have been for other brands.
Champion’s solution was to blur patterns. She added a human touch by using lace, at one time a time-intensive handcraft, along with an airy popcorn knit. Neither was really convincing; in general the brand’s mixed-media pieces feel unresolved. What did work was a double swimsuit that looked like it was four pieces but was actually two. Also appealing: the way that Champion inset flounces into some of the pieces in such a way that the other side of the knit was visible, which broke up the PH5 column silhouette and added a bit of movement.