We continue today the special about the Feel the Yarn competition that started yesterday with an interview with the winner, Xiao Li. I did this special for Zoot Magazine.
After a successful BA graduate collection at London College of Fashion, China-born but London-based Xiao Li decided to pursue further studies in knitwear construction and opted to do so with an MA at the Royal College of Art.
Selected to be part of the "Feel the Yarn" event in Florence, Xiao Li created using recycled denim yarns by Prato-based Pinori Filati (the company recently launched also a yarn made from the leftovers of camel fabric and an alpaca copper yarn that protects against electromagnetic waves - both worth investigating) three eye-catching designs characterised by futuristic silhouettes and bright fluorescent nuances.
Moving from the main theme of the event - “From material to Immaterial” - the designer showed a strong preoccupation with sustainability and avoiding waste, as she opted for knitted recycled denim yarns, but also created her own fabric, a soft silicone-based material she used to get unusual and unexpected results. The designs won the favours of the Pitti Filati 71 visitors for their mix of colours and functional shapes.
How did you get involved in the Feel the Yarn event?
Xiao Li: My tutor at RCA, Sarah Dallas, chose me and my classmate Alice Gibberd to take part in the project. It was a great opportunity to know the whole process of producing yarns and meeting young talents from all over the world. I worked with Pinori Filati. They are very professional and the yarns they supply are very good quality. It was great working with them!
Which was the best thing about your experience in Italy?
Xiao Li: Visiting yarn factories, talking to the staff and working with the company that sponsored me, Pinori.
What inspired the designs you made for the competition?
Xiao Li: My designs are very modern, fresh and unexpected. The garments’ shape and the fabric I knitted have a modern and futuristic feel about them. Most of my yarns come from recycled denim as I wanted old materials to get a new and modern feel. The designs were made using two types of yarns, recycled denim yarn and fluorescent yarns. When I saw the recycled denim yarn produced by Pinori I was really pleased because it met my ideas and needs. So I decided I would develop my designs around this concept and let more people know this product. When you see the garments you cannot really tell they were made using recycled materials. In my collections I'm often influenced by ecological and sustainable issues. The fresh theme is instead introduced by the colours: fluorescent shades mix with natural colours to give out great combinations. Fluo colours are actually also my fave ones, especially when matched with washed out denim nuances. I tackled the “unexpected” theme by combining silican fabrics which I developed by myself with knitted fabrics. The silican fabrics are the hardest part of the collection and it took me a long time - an entire term - to research and develop them, though it was definitely worth it!
What are your future plans?
Xiao Li: I've just finished my first year at the Royal College of Art, so the aim at the moment is completing my MA with a strong collection, find work in a fashion house and gain more experience. I hope I'll have my own brand in future, that has always been my ultimate plan.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
wow she is the most amazing designer i've ever seen in my whole life so far!
Posted by: xlpharmacy.com | September 19, 2012 at 05:04 PM