This is to give you an idea of what this story might be about. Hopefully you’ve become curious enough to learn more.
HERE'S WHY YOU SHOULD BE OBSESSED WITH CHET LO
Spikes and dragon scales can be sexy and fashionably on theme – As long as you’ve got the dexterity skills of Chet Lo. The knitwear designer scaled his brand to the next level during the 2020 pandemic. But with all the highs of a formidable carrier on the horizon come just as many lows. And when you have a distinctive vision for clothes, rest assured others will take advantage of their creative liberties and will feel inspired (and I use this term loosely) to replicate your work.
These corporations often pay no attention to the carefully crafted work of many independent designers. But fortunately for Lo his finger-techniques aren’t only limited to knitting – They also extend to writing impactful words on social media in order to call out exploitative fashion companies.
“My brand is representative of my soul and I believe you can tell the difference at the end of the day.” as Lo states in his Instagram post.
KNOT WITH CHET LO
Many suspected the global fashion brand H&M to have ripped of the knitwear designer but in a statement to Business Insider the Swedish fashion house acknowledged the popularity of the spiky knitwear trend among their customers and claim their in-house collection is by no means a replication of Lo’s designs.
“At H&M we do not copy, we have our own creative in-house teams designing all of our collections. The Cherish Waste Collection has many 90’s and 00’s references and during that time spiky knits were a big thing. Trends are global and can occur at the same time in different places as many designers are inspired by the same things.” says H&M. (Business Insider)
5 REASONS TO LOVE CHET LO
Unfortunately this is not the first time a fast-fashion brand has been accused of stealing the ideas of smaller creatives. In an overly saturated industry like fashion it is a commonality for lesser known brands to fall victim to numerous forms of copying. After sharing his opinion on the matter Lo was met with much love and support from his followers, but also with critique. Some questioned whether the designer himself can claim ownership on a style that had already been trending during the 90s and early 2000s.
While Lo’s nifty spikes are reminiscent of the early millenial popcorn clothes, the designers collection sets itself apart in a multitude of ways. Chet Lo is avant-garde in the most approachable way. But that is just one of many reasons why the designer and his daring pieces don’t fail to amaze me. Other reasons why I am pro Chet Lo are because…
…You Can Expect Retro Styles With Futuristic Elements
…Sexy Clothes And Funky Accessoires? Say Less
…He’s Inspired By His Asian Heritage
…His Designs Are For Anyone
…He Stands For Empowerment And Craftsmanship
As terrible as it is for for big corporations to imitate smaller brands, I don’t blame them. Chet Lo’s ideation, aesthetics and sustainable initiatives are nothing short from aspiritional. While I commend large fashion houses for their taste, it would be better for not only the artists they rip off from, but also the companies themselves if they could show their appreciation in a tasteful manner. Artists like Tems, Christina Aguilera and Kali Uchis got the memo and proudly wore the London-based designer’s items for the world to see – with credit.
This is what it looks like when creatives are praised for their work, and not ignored by bigger corporations.