Graduating from Royal College of Art, Xiao Li is an instant stand out turning heads with an aesthetic that beautifully defies design logic. An incredible balance of the hard and the soft, the young designer’s use of pastel colours with bold structures create dream-like imagery that focuses on exaggerated proportions.
The 2013 graduate collection takes inspiration from today’s architectural spectrum and incorporates 1960s Balenciaga references. A candy coloured palette and reinvention of classic textures makes this collection one that breaks the mould on traditional knit wear design. Xiao Li’s technique speaks for her creativity with an innovative use of Spacer Fabric to combine layers of textiles. Fluffed up peplums that appear light and hold their structure like cotton candy giving volume to knit wear styles we have seen in the past. Li’s design style is hands-on, dying the fabric herself and working from her own knitting samples to create structures for a collection that is inventive yet wearable.
Xiao Li comes from a creative background honing her skills with a BA from London College of Fashion and moving on to Royal College of Art, as well as winning the Feel the Yarn competition at the 2012 Pitti Filati. It is her experimental use of innovative techniques and brave design decisions that make Xiao Li a Fashion Scout Favourite.
By Vanessa Omoregie (@vnsssaa)