Chet Lo Has Dressed Everyone From Maya Jama To The Kardashians – Now, He’s Designed For The High Street

Chet Lo graduated from Central Saint Martins BA Knitwear course in 2020. This fact becomes fairly startling when you learn that, since then, not only has he joined Fashion East – alumni include Simone Rocha, JW Anderson, Roksanda and Wales Bonner – and the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN scheme, he has also dressed celebrities including Maya Jama, Simone Ashley, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel, Ashley Graham and Zendaya. Not bad for just a few years of work. Now, Lo has created his very first high street collection for the Singaporean brand Charles & Keith.

Spike Textured Metallic Handbag, £99

With its affordable take on accessories, Charles & Keith has quickly become something of an online sensation, albeit one that's still relatively under-the-radar in the UK. Nevertheless, styles often sell out and the brand's Instagram profile features everyone from Reneé Rapp to Georgia May Jagger to Sienna Miller in its shoes and carrying its bags. Having provided shoes for Lo's previous London Fashion Week shows, Charles & Keith then approached Lo with the idea of a collaboration. 'I got so excited and instantly said yes,' says Lo. 'I really loved working with a more experienced brand with a strong foothold in Asia as well as significant knowledge in accessories. I learned so much about what appeals to various markets, as well as how to translate designs and relate it back to customers.'

The Asian American designer hails from New York but moved to London in 2015 to begin studies at Saint Martins. Now, our capital city has claimed him as one of its own, although Lo takes a lot of inspiration from his childhood and Asian heritage. His signature design, for example, features knitted 3D 'spikes', inspired by the durian fruit which, incidentally, Lo doesn't actually like. 'I know, I know!' he laughs. 'I really don’t like Durian but for me it was still a culturally significant iconic fruit that is such a symbol of the East. I’ve grown up to my entire family eating durian, so for me it still has such familial connotations and moments that I love and cherish.'

This innovative approach to knitwear has been applied to his Charles & Keith collection, which includes ballet pumps, wedge heels, bags, headbands and even some ready-to-wear. To get it right, Lo says, there was a lot of trial and error. 'For the textile manipulations, we definitely had to experiment a lot with Charles & Keith. It was remarkable how quickly they were able to produce all these amazing samples, it was great to work together to find the perfect, most durable material for these accessories. Our normal knits for garments are too soft for accessories so we had to find a solution without compromising on aesthetics. There was a couple of test and try but eventually we found it.'

While it only launched this week, Lo's collection is already selling fast on the Charles & Keith website – testament to the loyal following the young designer has already attracted. Considering Kylie Jenner and Zendaya both wore Chet Lo in advertising campaigns, while Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Lisa Rinna were dressed by him for the Fashion Awards in December (they also wore pieces from his Charles & Keith collection), it's clear he has cross-generational appeal.

Who, then, does he consider to be his muse? 'I think I don’t have a direct muse, but I imagine the most confident person wearing my garments. Someone who doesn’t care about what people think of them and who revels in the stares in the street. An unapologetic, chic person. I loved working with Lisa Rinna and Leigh-Anne Pinnock for the Fashion Awards just this past December to tease this collaborative collection on the red carpet. They were both the chicest, kindest people and we had so much fun that night.'

High street collaborations with designers have become big business. From H&M's blockbuster collections to quieter partnerships led by Jigsaw or Uniqlo, they can be hugely successful for both parties involved. They're also, particularly for smaller brands, a way to develop and sustain a career in the increasingly challenging fashion industry. As Lo says: 'I think for us [designers] at the moment, there's definitely a systematic issue of how this industry is running. The industry rewards the larger brands and makes it really difficult for younger brands to come up. I just think there aren’t enough systems in place to assist young brands in actually creating companies.'

Luckily, London is still a place which celebrates and nurtures young design talent, allowing unique perspectives like Lo's to emerge. If this collaboration allows him to reach a wider audience, that can only be a good thing. Just next month, he will be showing his new collection at London Fashion Week, which he says 'has lots of cool new silhouettes, the vibes are immaculate.'

But his main message about what we should all be wearing in 2024? 'I want people to wear whatever they want. Nothing is in style or out of style as long as you wear it with conviction.'

SHOP: Charles & Keith x Chet Lo