“THE TUNDRA” 

Approaching Autumn Winter 2022, Chet Lo wanted to take traditional winter wear, deconstruct it and make it sizzle. Looking to the beauty of the arctic, "The Tundra" was born. Inspired by picturesque arctic skies, woolly mammoths found in ice, sexy yetis, and someday in the future: raves on the glacier, it's an offering of 'cryo-couture' filled with spikes, sex and sportswear. 

Lo's dexterity for invigorating new life into knitwear is on display. The ultra-plush faux fur shown is a  fine knit that heats up micro-mini skirts, crop tops, lounge pants and bootie heels. 

This season, the 3-D knitted spiked fabric he has become synonymous with, is thicker and more opaque.  It's found throughout the collection and given a frosty update on high heeled puffer boots, earmuffs and a few delightful surprises. 

Lo experiments with silhouettes and embraces juxtaposition. Bulky puffer tops have ribbed thermal  sleeves that cling tightly to the lower arm. A hooded cardigan, the colour of an arctic sunset, frames the  face and is rounded at the shoulders and paired with spiked leggings. In an ode to his heritage, Lo references the cheongsam with tops that have horizontal closures that cross the body. 

The electric colour palette reflects the enchanting beauty found in the coldest climates, like the celestial arctic lights, the purest white snow, and the different colours you see when light hits the ice.

The puffer jacket, a ubiquitous winter staple, is reworked in different variations. It's cropped at the sleeve with a geometric pattern and layered over tight long sleeve knit tops or covered in spikes with its stuffing segmented in the back, so it mimics the way the shoulder falls. 

Larger than life scarves and gloves are reworked in the quilted puffer fabric we have come to rely on in the chillier months. Hand-dyed dead stock feathers reminiscent of the snow and ice that gather on eyelashes  as you ski down a mountain adorn skirts and sleeves and create stunning movement. 

Celebration of the body is integral to Lo’s work. Skirts have high asymmetrical slits that rival the steepest  slopes of the highest mountains, illuminating the thigh. Dresses, though long, have deep square neck lines and cutouts that accentuate the waist and expose the upper and lower back, inviting you to express your sensuality while still covered. 

'The Tundra' is the antidote to the winter blues. A collection fit to invoke excitement so that even as the  temperatures plummet, one's anticipation to get dressed only continues to rise.