Wen zhou phillip lim
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Honorary Degree: Top designer Phillip Lim ‘98 says he owes his start to The Beach
He has become one of the top independent designers in the United States, with celebrities such as former first lady Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé wearing his dresses and accessories on the red carpet or at major events.
And he says he owes the start of his career to Cal State Long Beach.
Fashion designer Phillip Lim ‘98 is receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the College of the Arts Commencement ceremony on May 16. In her letter to Lim, President Jane Close Conoley said the Doctor of Fine Arts degree “will be awarded in recognition of your entrepreneurial vision, your pioneering contributions to design, and your enduring status as a leader in American fashion.”
“It’s an honor and a surprise,” Lim said. “Growing up, being the product of immigrants, our parents always wanted us to be doctors, lawyers and engineers. I am not any of the above, but now I can tell my mom, ‘Look, I can make this happen. I can be a doctor, too.’”
Lim, who liv
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As Creative Director and Co-Founder of his eponymous label, Phillip Lim sits at the helm of a now 14-year-old pioneering modern luxury brand.
Lim was born in Thailand in 1973 to Chinese immigrants who fled to Southern California to escape Cambodia’s civil war. Upon arriving in California, his mother found work as a seamstress and his father became a professional poker player. Lim studied finance at California State University Long Beach, but after 3 years, switched his focus to a degree in home economics.
A weekend job at Barneys Beverly Hills led to an internship with Katayone Adeli, and eventually, a position on her design team. When Adeli relocated to New York, Lim remained in Los Angeles and co-founded his first label, Development. After four years at Development, Lim relocated to New York to launch 3.1 Phillip Lim, his most personal collection to date, with business partner and friend, Wen Zhou.
Lim is recognized as one of the most talented and successful young American designers and is the recipient of several prestigious industry honors inc
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Phillip Lim was born in Thailand in 1973 to Chinese immigrants who later fled to Southern California to escape Cambodia’s civil war, where his mother found work as a seamstress and his father became a professional poker player. While his mother clearly had an early influence on his ethos, Lim didn’t fantasize of being a designer. Instead he studied finance for three years at California State University of Long Beach, but soon found himself switching to a degree in home economics.
Phillip Lim debuted his eponymous brand, 3.1 Phillip Lim, in the fall of 2005, with business partner and friend, Wen Zhou, bucking the ostentatious runway trends of the time. His line of youthfully elegant wardrobe classics with a twist, was an instant sensation and adored by critics, fashion editors and customers alike. Widespread recognition of Lim’s talent and accolades quickly followed, including the 2006 Fashion Group International Women’s Designer ‘Rising Star’ Award, the 2007 CFDA Swarovski Award in Womenswear, the 2012 CFDA Swarovski Award in Menswear, and the 2013 CFDA Award for Ac
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