Chet Lo SS23 Paid Tribute to Ancient Buddhist Tales
Presenting his first collection away from the Fashion East roster, while also debuting menswear.
This season, Asian-American designer Chet Lo has branched out from the Fashion East umbrella, showing at London Fashion Week for the first time on his own accord. For his final collection shown under Lulu Kennedy’s talent agency, Chet Lo paid homage to the glamor of après-ski with a collection emblazoned in eccentric skiwear detailed with his spiky fishing wire knitwear technique.
For Spring/Summer 2023, Lo referred back to his childhood raised Buddhist, frequenting temple visits and studying his cultural background. Taking inspiration from ancient Buddhist tales, the collection pays tribute to the peaceful religion and finding the same sense of tranquillity in oneself. Dubbed “Baai-San,” attendees ushered into London’s Old Selfridges Hotel, awaiting the designer’s solo debut. Calming Godly music echoed from wall to wall, and as lights rose, serenity ascended to exhilaration, converted into a roaring techno beat.
Lo’s identifiable spiky knitwear was spread across numerous looks, choosing to open the show with a “Forest Green” cutout dress accompanied by a textured XL globular hat stimulated by lotus lily pads. Representing purity and virtue, the flower is seen in 3D plastic renditions, adorning headwear and strappy sandals throughout. Sheer organza is emblazoned with botanical arrangements, acting as a window for the female body. The designer dabbles between the lines of illusion and reality this season, as slitted dresses don striped detailing up close, yet delicate florals appear from afar. Low-slung flared trousers matched petite crop tops, while haltered knits chaperoned skimpy mini skirts.
Lo’s menswear debut displayed skintight tops splattered with gradient blue color blobs, also bleeding into coordinating denim ensembles crafted in collaboration with ISKO. Spiky tops accompanied parallel bottoms, full-head covers and sling bags in tones of vibrant red and pale blue.
Colossal globes dangled by the hands of models who walked the runway, while miniature phone pouches wrapped around their wrists like snakes, too suspended in mid-air.
Chet Lo’s SS23 collection “Baai-San” can be seen in the gallery above. Stay tuned to Hypebeast for more London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 content as the week goes on.
Elsewhere, NOKI presents its SS23 collection, celebrating rave culture, queerness and art.
