TikTok’s coquette trend has officially gotten the Chet Lo treatment. The London-based designer is the latest to collaborate with Singapore fashion brand Charles & Keith, unveiling a collection of bags, shoes and headbands that are perfectly poised to take over many a Gen Z’s wardrobe.
That’s because Chet Lo’s Charles & Keith collaboration is made for the girls: it features ballet flats with bows, and accessories in colours like pink and red, all of which are unapologetically feminine pieces like those that have been dominating both TikTok and runway shows in recent months. Fashion’s obsession with girly designs—also dubbed the “coquette” look—is clearly not waning, but Lo has also picked up on how the trend will evolve in 2024.
Lo’s Charles & Keith capsule collection come with a rebellious edge thanks to his use of spikes, a detail that features heavily in the knitwear pieces that he is known for and which have been worn by celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa and Zendaya. The texture is especially stunning on the Chet Lo x Charles & Keith slingback wedge heels, which effectively turn the viral saying “I’m just a girl” into a threat.
Lo’s signature spikes are inspired by the durian, as the Chinese-American designer told SCMP: “It’s an Asian fruit. My mum loves it. I hate the stink of it, but I think it is culturally so important.”
Lo also nods to his Asian heritage in his Charles & Keith collaboration with the use of red—specifically, a deep burgundy that emerged as a trending colour in the Spring/Summer 2024 collections of Gucci, Hermès, Bottega Veneta and more. The shade will no doubt prove popular during the Chinese New Year celebrations next month.
This isn’t the first time that Charles & Keith has worked with Lo. The accessories giant previously supplied their shoes for Lo’s Fall/Winter 2023 and Spring/Summer 2023 shows at London Fashion Week. But this new collaboration will certainly boost the emerging designer’s presence in Asia, a market in which Charles & Keith has a stronghold.
In a statement, Lo shared, “For the designs, we really wanted to emulate the femininity and strength of women incorporating my signature spikes, which signify protection but also a distinct sensuality… This collection helps broaden the Chet Lo world which we’ve been working very hard to create.”
Want to be a part of that world? Get your hands on the new Chet Lo x Charles & Keith capsule collection, which launches in Charles & Keith stores as well as online, via charleskeith.com and chetlo.com.