About

Lilia Yip is a UK-based Singaporean designer, researcher, and cultural cartographer working at the intersection of fashion, tradition, and critical inquiry.

Their creative and academic practice explores fashion not as trend, but as cultural language—rooted in clothing traditions, material knowledge, and systems of meaning. With a background in fashion design, creative pattern cutting, and sustainable practice, their work connects contemporary aesthetics with global design histories, with roots in East Asian design philosophy and post-avant-garde fashion, and expanding interests in global material cultures and traditional textile knowledge.

STUDIO APPROACH

Lilia’s approach centres sustainable and ethical design—not only in materials, but in process, pedagogy, and methodology. They value empathy and responsibility in fashion practice, engaging students and collaborators through embodied, critical thinking.

They currently lecture at London College of Fashion on the BA Fashion Design and Development and MA Fashion Artefact courses. Alongside their academic role, they are building an independent practice focused on cultural research, experimental education, and curated visual experience.

Their current projects include Garment as Philosophy, a workshop series exploring the cultural and intellectual life of garments; Beautiful Strangeness, a visual and written dispatch project tracing underrepresented histories of dress, textile knowledge, and cross-cultural exchange; and Soft Power / Quiet Resistance, a research-led exploration of fashion as cultural strategy and subtle defiance.

They are also undertaking the SOAS-Alphawood Diploma in Asian Arts, with a focus on Chinese, Japanese, and Korean material culture.

Lilia maintains a personal studio practice rooted in material exploration, garment-making, and sound. Their music, released under the name Muxin, forms part of the same reflective inquiry—exploring rhythm, atmosphere, and emotional landscapes through design. Through conversation, curation, and visual inquiry, their work creates space for reflection, connection, and rethinking the role of clothing in our shared cultural lives.

STUDIO VALUES

My approach to ethical fashion is rooted in questioning every stage of the process—from the origin of materials to the emotional and cultural value of the final garment. I believe in creating work that respects both people and resources, and in designing clothing that holds meaning and longevity.

The studio operates as a creative lab—exploring ways to design garments that carry emotional sustenance, material intelligence, and aesthetic depth. Cutting techniques are developed to reduce seams and minimise waste, while maintaining clarity of form and finish.

Where possible, I work with independent fabric agents who source high-quality deadstock textiles from the UK and Europe—helping keep materials out of the waste stream. Sourcing decisions are guided by sustainability, ethics, and locality—supporting practices rooted in regional expertise and transparency.

Studio waste is minimised and recycled locally, and the space is powered by Octopus Energy, a green provider committed to transparent energy sourcing.

This is not a fixed position, but a living, evolving practice. I see sustainability not as a checklist, but as a responsive process—rooted in care, clarity, and accountability.