Designer Jill Lao is inspired by easy elegance, and by the uncompromising spirit of women.
READ MORE: A Lasting Purpose
Known for her easy, breezy interpretation of women’s style, designer Jill Lao highlights the modern woman with her collection now available at Power Plant Mall. The inspirations for the collection are ideals of empowerment and freedom, and the pieces strike the sweet spot of feminine and functional. These wardrobe staples are for the woman who wants to move, evolve and live.
The collection at Power Plant pays homage to female heroines who dared to defy convention, living a fruitful life. “My jump-off point for inspiration were Amelia Earhart and Enola Holmes,” says Lao, “Both lived in times of antiquated gender roles and expectations, which they both flouted. They refused to be tied down by society’s rules and restrictions.”
The designs are replete with functional and timeless garments. “Silhouettes are not constricting so that there’s room to move. I wanted to create pieces that feel like cocoons of security and comfort.”
Imagined and completed at the height of multiple lockdowns during the pandemic, it is lost on no one that it was ironic to be inspired by a woman who crossed oceans and refused to stand still, while by necessity all of us were restricted at our homes. “I decided to make this collection with a hopeful mindset. From the shapes, details, and fabrics, we paid close attention to the emotion and sense of well-being that each garment would bring,” she says.
The fabrics in this collection were all chosen because of their lightness and ephemeral natures. “I also wanted to showcase how light flows through beautiful lace and plaid organza,” says Lao. The dresses are airy and diaphanous, comfortable for home, and suitable for the outside world.
From cutout trench dresses, tiered frocks, and tie bustiers, the collection was designed with easy elegance and mind. Adjustable straps, belts, and drawstrings are details that support movement, making it customizable for any woman who wants to wear the clothes. “I want my clothes to be worn every day. When I design pieces, I envision garments that allow you to run, sit on the grass, pick up kids, and run errands – clothes that you live life in.”
A graduate of the Parsons School of Design in New York, Lao worked in luxury retail before training with fashion mainstays like Oscar de la Renta and Marissa Webb. These experiences are what led Lao to design for the contemporary woman, taking ideas from the dynamic changes that women undergo throughout their lives. Lao’s pieces are uncomplicated and elegant; the perfect look for a woman who knows what she wants.
Lao’s homegrown brand is made in conjunction with her skilled and experienced seamstresses. The atelier is both a home and a never-ending incubator of ideas, which results in clothing that is more than just an addition to the wardrobe: each shirt, dress, and trouser is detailed labor of love with high craftsmanship. Everything is made of uncompromising quality and thus made to last.
Jill Lao’s AMELIA is available to shop on www.jilllao.com. The collection will officially launch in March alongside the opening of JILL LAO’s Pop Up in Power Plant Mall, Rockwell. For more information or press assets, feel free to reach us at <[email protected]>
