The designer and Central Saint Martins graduate celebrates his Asian-American heritage with a modern twist.
“With my work, I’ve always been about spontaneous, fun themes, but this time I wanted to explore ideas of peace and serenity,” explains Chinese-American designer and Central Saint Martins graduate Chet Lo on his first standalone collection since debuting with London talent incubator Fashion East in 2021. “Growing up Buddhist and having attended temples for a lot of my younger years, I wanted to bring that experience into my work – it’s about celebrating my heritage.
The old fable of the Buddha being attacked by Mara , while meditating under a tree the night before he attained enlightenment, served as the core inspiration for Lo. As Mara and his army of demons shot arrows, the Buddha turned these arrows into flowers, making them fall harmlessly at his feet. “It’s the one story that truly resonated with me since I was a child, and it kickstarted me to create this collection.