Edeline Lee is catching her breath outside a high-school gym in northwest London, where she just showcased her spring/summer 2027 collection.
She had the gym transformed into a version of her atelier, giving guests a view of the production that goes into perfecting each look, including hair and makeup, fittings and the work of seamstresses and office staff, many of whom have been with her for years.
While crafting her new runway show, Edeline Lee took inspiration from the myth of Sisyphus and the ballet industry.MARS WASHINGTON/Supplied
The Canadian-born fashion designer has often forgone traditional runway shows in favour of experimental videos and immersive productions featuring live performances. For this season, she was drawn to the myth of Sisyphus and the idea of repetition in achieving perfection. She also saw parallels between ballet and fashion, with both industries projecting an effortlessness without showing the hard work it takes to get there.
So she decided to open up the runway to reveal the labour behind the façade and just how much effort it takes to produce the dream. Dancers warmed up onstage alongside the runway models. Studio assistants and the glam team were also in view, fine-tuning each look before it hit the catwalk.
“I think ballet is the ultimate example of a Sisyphean myth, where they are training and labouring for that one moment of perfection and joy,” Lee said, her Canadian accent intact despite living in London for more than 20 years. “It reminded me of our industry, and I wanted to acknowledge the hard work in both ballet and fashion.”
Lee also reimagined the label through the lens of ballet. Her signature tailoring appeared in structured jackets paired with jutting tutus, fitted bodysuits and graceful skirts, as well as in monastic dresses that draped softly around the body and in diaphanous frocks in bold crimson.
Since arriving in England from Vancouver (via Montreal, where she graduated from McGill University), Lee has been steadily honing her craft and building her brand, which made its debut at London Fashion Week in 2015. Earlier this year, she published a book that looks back at the label’s history (celebrated with a launch at the Peninsula London while presenting her fall 2026 collection).
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As a teenager, Lee devoured issues of Vogue in her bedroom and was obsessed with Alexander McQueen and John Galliano. Her Korean-born parents were not supportive of her aspirations to work in fashion, but after finishing her first undergraduate program in 2000, Lee headed to Central Saint Martins in London to begin a BA in fashion.
“I loved her sketchbook, and when she did her final presentation for her foundation year I took a photocopy of every page and I still use that as a prototype to show students how to work,” said Lee’s first instructor, Peter Towse, after her recent show.
Dancers and runway models performed in Lee’s London show.Alla Bogdanovic/Supplied
She took a break from her studies to intern for McQueen and Dior under Galliano. In 2004 she dropped out of school completely and decamped to New York to work for Zac Posen, whom she had met at Central Saint Martins. She helped launch his eponymous label and worked as his first assistant.
Lee then returned to London to finish her degree, graduating in 2007. When her friend jeweller Cora Sheibani invited her to collaborate, she created a capsule collection of dresses to showcase Sheibani’s pieces. Vogue covered the launch, and suddenly women were asking to buy Lee’s designs. She started her label soon after.
Lee’s aesthetic exudes a softer femininity than the sharp silhouettes and high drama of McQueen, Galliano and Posen. Years ago, she created a concept called the “Future Lady” to represent the client she designs for: a modern, multifaceted woman with a demanding, on-the-go lifestyle who balances her professional commitments with her personal life. Her wardrobe, therefore, must be practical and durable yet empowered, and she doesn’t compromise on style.
Dresses are fluid and paired with matching belts to give the body a gentle definition. Colours are bold, and the brand’s signature anti-wrinkle fabrics, such as a lightweight pebble-textured jacquard, are versatile and easy to pack. Lee produces her collections in England.
“At heart, I’m a dressmaker,” the designer said. “I work with real women, and I’m trying to make clothes work on their body and make it work in their lives. That’s a craft that we’re constantly perfecting and working on.”