Biography
Award-winning fashion designer Jimmy Lim is known
as one of New Zealand’s new generation of star designers,
and was awarded the prestigious title of Deutz Fashion Design
Ambassador of the Year at Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2004,
where he represented New Zealand as the Deutz Fashion Design
Ambassador at London Fashion Week 2006.
After London, Jimmy Lim worked on projects with esteemed international couturist Datuk Bernard Chandran. Jimmy also has close links with the king-of-shoes, international shoe designer Sir Jimmy Choo, who personally inspired Jimmy to expand his label to Asia. Following on from his established credibility and brand awareness since 1999, his first debut in Asia at Malaysia International Fashion Week 2007 was a tremendous success.
Jimmy Lim’s other notable achievements include being awarded the Supreme Award for the Andy Warhol international fashion exhibition awards – The Warhol Look, as well as being awarded winner of the Charles Parsons award for excellence in tailoring. Jimmy was also awarded the Fashion Quarterly Fashion Designer Award 2005, judged by New Zealand leading fashion house and exporter to the world, Zambesi, just to name a few of Jimmy’s outstanding achievements.
This designer stood out for it’s
execution of idea that has both broad market appeal and an
understanding of current trends. The clever use of colour and
fabric highlighted the cut and movement of his work. His
hand-worked beading detail added a unique and striking touch.
Zambesi - Fashion Quarterly
Magazine
If passionate intensity and
confidence were enough to make you a success in the fashion
industry, Jimmy Lim would be bigger than Gaultier right now!
Fashion Quarterly Magazine
Jimmy has always been the
odd one out from his peers. He has the ‘X’ factor
that every successful designer needs to possess. This is more
than talent, it is intelligence!
Jean Raw, Senior Lecturer - Asia Down Under TV
Programme
Jimmy Lim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Technology degree from Auckland University. He made an instant impact when he presented his debut ‘Transformation’ collection in 1999, sending shock waves through the fashion world with a totally unique theme, all garments were transformed in a numerous times on stage, with no changing rooms - every piece was transformed right in front of the audience. Straight after the showcase season, he was named a designer to watch-out for in New Zealand Fashion Quarterly Magazine and fashion industry Apparel magazine.
Lim’s contribution to
the impressive parade was titled ‘transform’ and
included 10 transformable outfits, all which could be unzipped,
turned inside out and generally manipulated to mutate into a
completely different garment in several rounds which all was
done on-stage.
Fashion Quarterly Magazine
The audience applause was
enough to convince the coldest fashion critic that this is
undoubtedly a designer to keep watching.
Apparel Magazine - The business of
fashion
The audience was spellbound
when, right before their eyes a scarf became a suit jacket and
a skirt turned into a coat without any trick wires in evidence.
Viva - The New Zealand Herald
Jimmy's garments design was
innovative and impeccable constructed. This amazing
transformation collection had the crowd scrambling for a better
view, as these outfits changed appearance before their eyes!
Pavement Magazine
He has been featured in leading fashion media publications including New Zealand national television TV1 and TV3, in both news and documentary formats, including a story previewed on the fame ‘Asia Down under’ documentary programme.
Actively contributing in the fashion industry, Jimmy Lim is also the sub fashion editor for New Zealand’s leading magazine Remix and Pulp magazine, as well as fashion journalist for Tmag and stylist for Harper’s Bazaar, Glam and V Mag of Asia.
In Jimmy’s earlier days, he was recognised for his transformation design technique and unique fabric engineering. Now, like the designer himself, he has matured and polished his collections to a higher standard of sophistication. Tailoring and pattern making has always been the focus of his creations. This creator has always believed during the fashion creation process that “if you can get the back right, the front will be right. Every process has to be precise!”
Jimmy’s supremely
elegant clothes have proved extremely popular and the designer
has now expanded his line to include a variety of fashion
accessories. Jimmy Lim impressed us so much at the ‘East
meets west’ fashion show that we pick him as the hot
young designer to watch and voted the best fashion event of the
year.
Apparel Magazine -
The Business of Fashion (Voted Best Fashion Event of the Year
– “East meets west by Jimmy Lim")
He has enjoyed much flattery from local and international markets and designs modern, high fashion garments for the most discerning; those who wish to create the ultimate fashion statement and wear attitude like a uniform to give definition to their identity. Within this group there are no barriers and wearers carry a truly global mentality.
His collection ‘Peony Pavilion’ was showed at Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2005, and former Miss New Zealand, Amber Pebbles chose a Jimmy Lim dress from the Peony Pavilion collection, to wear on a highly publicised finale night of television show, ‘Sing like a superstar’.
Jimmy Lim has also received significant international publicity, with exposure on international televisions shows, as well as his outfits being selected to walk the red carpet two years in a row at the International Golden Music Awards in 2005 and 2006, worn by Taiwanese VJ, Z Ping.
His over-the-top,
non-commercial couture confections still manage to amaze. His
unique work is ideal if you want to secure your photo in the
social pages, as you strut the red carpet.
Fashion Quarterly Magazine
His first ever show in Asia at Malaysian International Fashion Week in November 2007 entitled ‘Fashion Is Boring’, injected vibrancy and exhilaration to the fashion arena. Jimmy was “very excited to have been accepted for such an electrifying international event. It has challenged me at all levels and will push the label to another level of sophistication and recognition both locally and internationally, and I am honoured to promote New Zealand fashion at such a high level, while also contributing to my roots in Malaysia.”
In addition to Jimmy Lim’s first show in Asia, he was selected by international lingerie powerhouse, Triumph, to showcase his Autumn/Winter 2008 collection together in a joint-venture show.
Jimmy is excited to be working on numerous projects in 2008 to fuel continued growth of his New Zealand home-grown label internationally.