BY JAY AQUINO

OCTOBER 3, 2026

Pops of turquoise, red, purple, and pale blue continue the color contrasts that have become part of LII’s identity, already evident in his previous collections. For Spring 2027, Zane Li uses them to emphasize shifts in shape. Small changes give everyday pieces a different outline, with a white tank shifted off-center over a navy T-shirt to reveal a narrow strip of waist and a glossy turquoise panel folded over one shoulder of a black dress.

The geometric tops are a highlight, particularly the high-necked black and red versions with broad folds across the chest and sleeves projecting outward. The folds give the tops an origami feel, with sharp corners and a wider shape that creates a proportion above the short skirts. The opening black and navy looks extend that interest through panels projecting from the hips and hems descending into points.

Strapless dresses are the collection’s strongest pieces, with clean necklines that draw attention to the folds, uneven hems, and contrasting colors below. Red beneath a pale pink skirt and turquoise along the lower edge of a powder-blue dress emphasize the fabric extending away from the legs. Grey and black styles are equally compelling, their broad panels projecting from one hip and falling below the short hem.

The short, thin-strapped dresses suit Li’s interest in girlhood and womanhood, with youthful proportions and rectangular fronts in purple and orange-red that leave pale blue and turquoise layers visible at the neckline and hem. His references included Jeanne Lanvin’s archive, Alex Katz’s paintings, and Brenda Lee’s "Emotions," recorded when the singer was fifteen and prompting his reflections on that relationship.

Li’s color pairings and shapes recall Prada Spring 2026, with solid colors set against one another and separated to alter an outfit’s proportions. Prada has explored similar ideas in earlier collections through unexpected combinations and unconventional shapes around the body. Displaced tanks, rectangular layers, and folded panels give Li’s approach a recognizable LII character.

Wearability remains a strength, with drawstring shorts, roomy coats, and orange anoraks providing practical foundations, and detachable hoods tied over camisoles and dresses adding another way to layer. Layering works particularly well with a dark blazer over a cropped top and full skirt, its elongated shape balancing the exposed waist and gathered fabric below.

Strapless dresses and folded tops leave the strongest impression, with color and construction giving the collection its clearest silhouettes. Simpler separates offer ways to build an outfit around these sculptural pieces, bringing Li’s experiments into everyday dressing. Spring 2027 has a recognizable LII character, while unexpected color pairings, layering, and changes in proportion leave room for the wearer to make it her own.

Discover LII Spring 2027 collection here.