By Jessica Ye (Jessica Yap)
On the eve of her London Fashion Week presentation, Clara Chu is busy dismantling the hierarchy of “luxury” materials. While the rest of the schedule remains preoccupied with traditional textiles, the Hong Kong-born, London-based designer is focused on the sculptural potential of the discarded. In this exclusive interview, we discuss why a mop head or a defunct toaster isn’t waste; it’s a blueprint for a new kind of accessory.
Chu’s strength lies in elevating the domestic into the desirable—a witty, high-contrast dialogue between mass production and artisanal craftsmanship. Ahead of her showcase on 20 February, we sat down with the designer to discuss the vision behind her AW26 collection and why the most exciting silhouettes in fashion are likely already sitting in your kitchen cupboard.
The “Domestic” Build
Couture Troopers: Your work famously transforms the mundane—mops, toasters, and toothbrushes—into high-fashion accessories. For this AW26 collection, what was the most “uncooperative” household object you decided to redesign, and how did you manage its structural limitations?
Clara Chu: A fluffy home slipper. It was just such an awkward shape to work with that I left it and put it aside for days. I didn’t know whether to bend it, deconstruct it or stitch it onto something else and nothing felt right. Eventually I realised the solution was already contained within its existing form and it didn’t need to be overworked. Then it ended up becoming one of the most resolved bags in the collection.
The LFW Vision
Couture Troopers: With your presentation coming up on 20 February, how are you translating your “household pop art” into a live environment? Should we expect a static display, or are you exploring the “living sculpture” concept you’ve experimented with in the past?
Clara Chu: Static turned live. We wanted to create an environment that feels comfortable and unpretentious for everyone viewing the collection and just enjoy seeing the bags being interacted with.
Engineering vs. Aesthetics
Couture Troopers: You often merge mass production with hand-craftsmanship. At what point in your design process does a discarded object stop being “waste” and start being “fashion”? Is there a specific breakthrough in this new collection that you’re most proud of?
Clara Chu: Often it happens instantly. If an object has a colour, texture, or sense of era that feels special, I immediately see value in preserving or extending its life. The breakthrough this season was actually working more with textiles and fewer rigid objects. We were generously donated upholstery offcuts from a London-based furnishing company. Elevating textiles can be harder than elevating objects because we’re so used to seeing fabric worn traditionally. So the challenge for me became: how do you make a black upholstery textile feel exciting or surprising. It pushed me to think more carefully about pairing, proportion, and contrast rather than relying on the shock value.
The Cultural Narrative
Couture Troopers: Being based in London but born in Hong Kong, your work often feels like a dialogue between different consumer cultures. How has the specific “mundanity” of London’s domestic life influenced the colour palette or the “characters” of the bags we will see this week?
Clara Chu: I wouldn’t say there’s a singular ‘London’ domestic aesthetic, but I’m really influenced by the city’s yard sales and flea market culture. There’s something about embracing the street and second-hand culture that keeps you connected. This season includes a wider range of accessories from cardholders to shoulder bags, sling bags, and belts, which are new for me. There’s a mix of eclectic, playful pieces alongside more commercial silhouettes.
The Future of the Object
Couture Troopers: As we head into the show, what do you hope is the one “takeaway” for the audience regarding the value of the objects they own? Are you looking to change how we shop, or simply how we see the “bones” of the things around us?
Clara Chu: I hope it encourages people to look at the objects they already own differently to see potential rather than disposal and most importantly just have fun with it.
