London-based designer Chet Lo never set out to create the boundary-breaking knitwear that’s become something of a phenomenon these past 12 months. In fact, the 24-year-old never intended to start a label at all. “I wanted the stability of a nine-to-five job, but then I realised there wasn’t enough drama,” he tells Vogue via Zoom from the confines of his east London studio.

A twist of fate brought the Asian-American creative to the UK in 2015, where he embarked on the BA knitwear course at the prestigious art college Central Saint Martins. At the heart of Lo’s designs is a “nostalgic Asian influence” spurred on by his fascination with “old Japanese comics and the Godzilla and Ultraman [Japanese film series] visuals.” Between interning for luxury heavyweights Maison Margiela and Proenza Schouler, the New York native’s talent for ‘spiked’ detailing swiftly made Lo a force to be reckoned with. 

A futuristic graduate collection followed (titled Cnidaria’s Wife), which received rave reviews. Soon Lo was creating bespoke pieces for Kylie Jenner and earlier this year launched a new collection inspired by rebellious amorphic angels. You probably also saw Lo’s “dream girls” Doja Cat and SZA strut in custom blush-pink designs for the video that accompanied their smash-hit single, Kiss Me More.

Vogue caught up with the designer to discuss his whirlwind year, the importance of honouring Asian culture within his designs and why making women feel good is at the forefront of his label.

What has the past year looked like for you and your label?

“I haven’t stopped working. I graduated last year during a global pandemic, which was stressful. Then I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t want to stop.’ Working during the pandemic taught me how to be super independent and think quickly on my feet.”

How did you first get into creating knitwear?

“A friend encouraged me to apply to London’s Central Saint Martins after taking pre-college courses at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design in 2013. It snowballed from there. One of my tutors at CSM noticed I had a knack for textiles. Knitwear made perfect sense as it allowed me to create this ideal combination of textures and play with elegant shapes. Textiles inform shape. I start with textiles, then I consider how it will work and bounce off of the body, and what shapes derive from it.”

What has been your experience of the past year?

“I’m trying to raise as much awareness as I can about this wave of Asian hate crimes. Everything feels super disheartening. I’m worried for my family, particularly my parents who live in New York. My mother is a school teacher and she still walks to school. She recently told me that someone screamed and spat at her for the first time in 30 years. I recently generated a raffle with one of my dresses as the prize and donated the proceeds from ticket sales to Stop AAPI Hate [a nonprofit organisation].”

You interned at Proenza Schouler and Maison Margiela. What valuable lessons have stuck with you?

“I was working at Maison Margiela with the artisanal team, so it was hands-on — I was able to understand how [John] Galliano works. I remember the early stages of making a collection with the team felt confusing and then suddenly everything was so beautifully curated and it affirmed the importance of storytelling and piecing it all together. Everyone says Galliano is a genius and it’s true. 

“During my time at Proenza, I learned how to be assertive, technical and [the importance of] industry intel and the significance of professionality.”