Central Saint Martins taught me how to work more professionally within certain disciplines of the fashion industry, while on the other hand, the necessary of doing proper research and allowing your creativity, imagination and experimentation go free in order to make the best work. Regarding working with Jonathan Anderson and Craig Green, both experiences have been amazing and I owe very much to the busy months I spent in their studios.
With JW Anderson, when I was interning there, it was a turning point for the brand because LVMH invested in it. You’re lucky to witness how the brand developed from an independent and niche label to a company that had a more proper business structure, which certainly gave me lots of ideas when I started building up my own brand in the following years. Then, with Craig Green, he’s an amazing designer that had the ability to really touch you with his garments. His focus on material innovation as well as dedication to craftsmanship also taught me a lot, which now also becomes the very core of Xu Zhi and its philosophy.