Cynthia & Xiao
resilience theme
renewed comfort [rɪˈnjuːd kʌmfə(r)t]
about
Cynthia & Xiao is a knitwear label established in 2014 by Central Saint Martin graduates, Cynthia Mak and Xiao Xiao. The Chinese design duo inject excitement and humour into basic knitwear silhouettes through vibrant, bold and whimsical graphic prints for men, women and children. The fun-loving spirit of Cynthia & Xiao, conveyed through each graphic character and print design, aims to bring joy to the world.
Shortly after their debut, Cynthia and Xiao gained international recognition as a finalist in Vogue Talents for Asia, and made their first runway showcase during the Autumn Winter 2017 New York Fashion Week. In 2018, Cynthia & Xiao was named one of the 10 Asian Designers to watch and was a semi-finalist of the International Woolmark prize.
statement for the future
“Covid has taught me never to be too comfortable and through consistent practice in learning, adapting, we’re more resilient than ever. I hope to be inspired by one another (in this project) and hopefully create something better and more meaningful to our old and new audiences.“
connect
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object: recycled shizi bathrobe
photograph by: Phebe Schmidt
about
For Cynthia&Xiao the pandemic saw both designers looking at ways to maintain the sense of excitement and humour synonymous with their brand. A theme of Renewed Comfort was the constant for both as they jointly navigated the ebbs and flows of the persistent pandemic. They set out to create a piece for h-ours that enables their audience to see the whole cycle of exactly where their raw material comes from, and how materials are upcycled in order to use the new yarn to create an entirely new product. The manifestation of this process this time round appears as a robe featuring their signature embroidered motifs. A thing to adorn at home seeking renewed comfort in precarious times stuck within our walls. Since we’ve all spent most of our time at home this year, comfort has become a priority for most, even creatives.
The robe is the designer’s response to fostering meaning and fun lifestyle products that people can enjoy whilst in lock-down but also take with them when there is freedom to travel once more. The fabrics utilised for this are reworked from old bed linens and hotel textiles left over from a previous capsule collection for Shangri-la hotels, merging the idea of travel with home.
composition
100% cotton
100% cotton
made from
Recycled luxury bed linens and sheets from Shangri-La Hotels
Recycled luxury bed linens and sheets from Shangri-La Hotels
limited edition of 3
object: shizi hand clutch
material
100% recycled cotton yarn from the Shangri-La hotels
100% recycled cotton yarn from the Shangri-La hotels
quantity
5
5
description:
Tiger rugs are associated with tantric mediation, as the presence of the wild beast is associated with protection - both physical and spiritual. These rugs later became a symbol of high officials and are ritualistic present during traditional dancing festivities. As the tiger is Xiao’s birth zodiac - these themes of ritual, protection and energy are brought together in this playful ‘shizi hand-clutch’, created with a reimagined rug ala signature C&X style.
All made from recycled yarn from The Billie System and Shangri-La Hotels.
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