Biography
Over the past decade, the name Helen Lee has become synonymous with Shanghai fashion. Following her graduation from the Raffles Design Institute and two years working in Japan, Helen Lee returned to Shanghai and founded insh. The success of insh led to the creation of HELEN LEE, a premium brand known for its sophisticated and edgy designs, in 2009. In 2010 HELEN LEE opened her flagship store on Fumin Road in the French Concession, marking the beginning of a new chapter in high-end Chinese fashion.
The basis for Helen Lee’s remarkable success is her adventurous design philosophy. The process begins with her diverse influences, an exciting mix of East and West, old and new, and continues through the use of sensuous materials and striking textures. Her garments combine an appealing simplicity with intricate details. Helen Lee clothing aspires to the perfect line, the perfect cut, the perfect garment.
Collections
Previous DesignsMedia
What they're saying about Helen LeeCoolest Chinese Fashion Designers in Shanghai
One of the first designers to ever show at Shanghai Fashion Week back in 2003, Helen Lee became famous for balancing her signature playfulness with sophisticated undertones. Her eponymous brand—whose flagship can be found on Fuming Road— features feminine-yet-sporty womenswear, accented with bold colors, fun prints and luxurious, unexpected fabrics.
Helen Lee Forges Contemporary Path
Entering through a sun-dappled courtyard, we climb the stairs in a three-storey colonial-style wooden house on Fumin Lu, a quiet, tree-lined street in Shanghai. On the top floor, colourful, contemporary outfits hang on racks in a carefully curated space mixing vintage Chinese furniture with black and white photography and colourful woven stools.
Dressed in a striped blue and white Breton shirt (a design from her most recent collaboration with French brand Saint James), with her black hair pulled back neatly, Shanghainese designer Helen Lee is showing us the hip headquarters, showroom and atelier of her eponymous designer label as well as her street wear brand Insh.
Fashion Pioneer Helen Lee Reflects on Decade of Design in China
Ten years ago, Chinese fashion designer Helen Lee founded insh, a brand aimed at expressing the spirit of Shanghai, and was invited to attend the first Shanghai Fashion Week. Today, her namesake brand Helen Lee, which delivers a modern metropolis style, has transformed into a Shanghai Fashion Week focal point. This past decade has been an important one for Lee, who has been not only a participant in and witness to, but also a leader of China’s original fashion design scene.
Jing Daily recently visited Lee’s studio at Tianzifang, Shanghai, and had a talk on her brand positioning, team building, overseas expansion, capital operation, and development goals.
Helen Lee May Be a Breath of Fresh Air
Lee is a leading figure in Shanghai’s emerging fashion scene. A graduate of China’s most prestigious fashion institute, LaSalle International Design College, Helen’s talent has been recognized, receiving awards like China’s “Jeanswest Fashion Award” and Belgium’s “Les Etoiles De La Mode.” Recently out of the wood work, she presented her HELEN LEE SS13 collection.
Arriving at Helen Lee’s sunny Taikang Lu studio, an impossibly long-limbed model being fitted for a floor-length evening dress and framed pictures of the designer posing alongside the glamorous likes of Halle Berry and Clive Owen, it’s clear that the designer has moved forwards and upwards from cult label, insh, known for its playful t-shirts, low-key elegance and youthful edge.
Stores
Where to buy Helen LeeLane Crawford
Shanghai, Huang Pu District, 99 Huaihai Middle Road
上海市黄浦区淮海中路 99 号
Helen Lee Boutique
Shanghai, Jing An District, 172-1 Fumin Road
上海市静安区富民路 172-1 号
Helen Lee Reel
Shanghai, Jing An District, 1605 Nanjing West Road, B20
上海市静安区南京西路 1605 号, 道聚集地中心 B20
Video
Helen Lee in motionHELEN LEE F/W 15 Inspiration Yunnan from chris rekrutiak on Vimeo.
The post Helen Lee appeared first on China Fashion Bloggers.