Coming of age in the early 2010s as a Chinese-American teenage boy in the States was a harrowing time for Chet Lo’s self-image.  At the time, Western media inundated our culture with a narrow, white, heteronormative ideal of beauty and sexuality, making those who didn’t fit into that minuscule box feel othered.  Simultaneously, Lo was indoctrinated to believe that sexual desires were ‘dirty’, ‘impure’ and taboo- leading him to feel a sense of shame in his natural sexual urges. These factors left Lo feeling desexualised, struggling to feel at home in himself.

While representation in media has dramatically improved, its impact left Lo with a painful residue. This season, Chet Lo is taking an active stand in reclaiming the power lost during his youth. It is a moment to heal the childhood wounds inflicted by a society that sidelined our differences instead of celebrating them. By leaning head first into what repressed him, he writes a new story of what’s beautiful- this time, including everyone. The seductive prints throughout the collection are a modern ode to the sensual splendour of ancient Chinese erotic art and Shunga- subjects Lo grew up believing were taboo. In the Japanese art form of Shunga, which reached its crescendo in the Edo period, sexual pleasure was celebrated and normalised in the brilliant paintings, and it wasn’t uncommon to see same-sex partners basking in acts of love. The prints appear as beautiful monograms on knit lace trousers and on satin devore tops - faint tableaus; then, the closer you look- couples of various sexualities are engaged in moments of intimacy. The graphic PDA of the prints juxtaposes the delicate nature of knit lace mini dresses and second-skin skirts, while their

intensity amplifies on white leather jackets. As passions sizzle and the globe reaches sweltering temperatures, the viscose yarns for the brand’s spiky pieces adjust to become lighter and bouncier. The spikes take on various levels of intensity; on babydoll tees, they are small for those who flirt with incorporating spikes into their wardrobe and on maxi skirts, they are gargantuan for those who revel in their boldness.

That internal restriction and tension Lo once felt growing up materialises in the elaborate rope tying in the collection. Intricate ropes that lay on top of double-layered knit mini dresses and reverse neckties reference Shibari- a modern Japanese form of rope bondage used for erotic fantasy play, meditation and trust binding. Chinese knots, an omen of good luck in Chinese culture, anchor detached thong detailing on trousers and appear at the back of sleeveless spiky tops. In continuation of last season, Charles & Keith and Chet Lo continue their collaboration to create loafers with out-of-this-world spikes and sultry strappy heels. Clothing has the power to liberate us and allow us to create the version of ourselves that we see in our mind’s eye. Whether through tailored trousers with hip slits or halterneck knit dresses with a monogrammed scissoring print, Chet Lo wants to make everyone feel their most aligned, empowered and sexy self.

‍