LVMH PRIZE--XIAO LI
One of the most promising Chinese Fashion Designer
Eyes of a Fashion Designer and Hands of a sculptor
On March 18, 2015, the LVMH Prize, which was created to support young fashion designers by LVMH Group, announced its eight finalists. The China born and London based fashion designer, Xiao Li, missed the final selection. “I think that entering the semifinal is a kind of recognition for me as a Chinese designer,” Xiao Li says with no regrets.
Actually, Xiao Li already won multiple and well deserved awards before she participated in the LVMH Prize. She is awarded the winner of Feel the 2012 Yarn competition. In 2013, she received the Diesel Award from the International Talent Support and the Loro Piana Award for the best knitwear collection. Last year, she got her MA degree from Royal College of Art and her graduate collection specialized in knitwear of women made her become the winner of Merit Award. These awards not only helped her catching a lot of attention from the fashion industry, but also supported her building up her namesake brand.
Xiao Li got her BA degree in Womenswear Fashion at the London College of Fashion. After graduating, she worked at Gareth Pugh Studio and Alexander McQueen Womenswear Design Studio for three years. She didn’t realize her passion for knitwear design until she started to choose the direction of her graduate study at Royal College of Art. During the whole graduate education process, creating contemporary knitwear has always been her dream. “I know I’m at a point in my career when I can change the traditional form of knitwear,” she says. Eventually, she found a new way to present knitwear by mixing silicone into knits, which let soft and shapeless knitwear pieces have plump volume and bold geometric shapes. She first utilized this technique in her graduate collection with a strong sense of colors and shapes inspired by modern architecture and 60s Balenciaga's work. “I really want my collection innovative but still wearable,” she adds. Besides holding the shape, this silicone-based material is also lightweight.
This collection also impressed Carla Sozzani, the founder of 10 Corso Como. “I am so lucky, because 10 Corso Como just planned to launch stores in Beijing and Shanghai at that time. Carla Sozzani liked my graduate collection and wanted me to do the capsule collection in collaboration with 10 Corso Como, which can be sold in its flagship stores in China,” Xiao Li told me. In this collection, Xiao Li kept her feature of using innovative fabrics. “This time, I want to bring denim to a new level,” Xiao Li continues. “Mixing traditional denim fabrics with molded silicon can create an unexpected feeling that is between real and surreal.” This collaboration aroused a great interest in the fashion industry. Opening Ceremony decided to include her line in its stores all over the world.
“I hope I can have eyes of a fashion designer and hands of a sculptor,” she says. “For me, the most important thing is doing my best in design and fabric innovation. Being a fashion designer is a lifelong career. Perseverance is more important than a flash in the pan.”
Source: http://xiao-li.co.uk/
