About the Founder
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
A Journey Toward Light
Every universe begins with a single point.
Mine began with curiosity.
Long before X0C29 existed, I was simply someone fascinated by stories, worlds, and the invisible emotions hidden beneath what people could see. My creative journey first began through film, where I learned that every frame carries meaning, every light creates emotion, and every object can become part of a larger narrative.
Eventually, I discovered that clothing could tell stories even more intimately than cinema.
A garment moves with its wearer.
It remembers.
It protects.
It transforms.
Fashion became my language.
Not simply to decorate the body—
but to communicate ideas that words often cannot.
THE MEANING OF LIGHT
When I graduated and decided to begin this new chapter, I also chose a new name.
Auren.
My Chinese name became 李曜晞(Li Yaoxi).
Both names are connected by the same idea:
Light.
Not because life had always been bright.
Quite the opposite.
Like many creators, I experienced uncertainty, loneliness, self-doubt, and moments where continuing forward seemed impossible.
I chose a name centered around light as a promise to myself.
A reminder that even during the darkest periods of life, light still exists.
That creativity can become hope.
That beauty can become strength.
That a single person, however small, can illuminate someone else’s path.
Today, this belief continues to guide everything I create.
If my work can give someone even a little courage—
then it has already fulfilled its purpose.
WHY I DESIGN
Many people see clothing as appearance.
I see clothing as architecture.
Protection.
Energy.
Memory.
Many silhouettes throughout X0C29 are intentionally structured like futuristic architecture or exoskeletons.
They are designed to feel like an extension of the wearer rather than decoration placed upon them.
A garment should not simply make someone look stronger.
It should help them remember that they already are.
Every construction line, every proportion, every volume exists for a reason.
Not to follow trends—
but to build emotional strength through form.
Fashion can become armor.
Fashion can become shelter.
Fashion can become confidence.
BETWEEN EAST AND WEST
Growing up in China,
studying in the United States,
and later graduating from Central Saint Martins in London,
allowed me to experience very different ways of understanding the world.
Eastern philosophy taught me balance, symbolism, and coexistence.
Western design encouraged experimentation, questioning, and innovation.
Rather than choosing one over the other, X0C29 exists between them.
Many collections intentionally combine historical tailoring with speculative futures.
Ancient craftsmanship may appear beside advanced technical materials.
Traditional silhouettes may be reconstructed using futuristic proportions.
Or futuristic forms may emerge from centuries-old techniques.
These contrasts are never accidental.
They are conversations across civilizations.
They represent the belief that the future should not erase history, and tradition should never fear evolution.
Like Yin and Yang, opposing forces become complete only when they coexist.
DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE
X0C29 does not attempt to predict the future.
It imagines possibilities.
Many collections explore themes such as future civilizations, forgotten myths, planetary migration, artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial life, spiritual evolution, and humanity’s relationship with technology.
Some stories begin with ancient legends.
Others begin somewhere that has never existed before.
The goal is not to answer questions—
but to encourage new ones.
What will humanity become?
What remains essentially human?
How might beauty evolve?
Each collection becomes one possible answer.
CLOTHING AS LIVING OBJECTS
I believe luxury should never exist for a single season.
Every X0C29 piece is designed with longevity in mind.
Rather than encouraging unnecessary overproduction, many works are created in limited quantities, made-to-order, or individually customized.
This allows each garment to develop its own identity.
Some pieces become part of a personal wardrobe.
Others may eventually become archival works, collectibles, or even future cultural artifacts.
True luxury is not defined by rarity alone.
It is defined by meaning.
The more life a garment lives,
the more valuable it becomes.
THE LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS
Within X0C29, materials are never selected only for appearance.
Every texture, colour, finish, and construction method contributes to the story being told.
Many collections are developed around six foundational elements:
Metal
Wood
Water
Fire
Earth
Light
These elements are not interpreted literally.
Instead, they function as symbolic systems that influence colour palettes, textile choices, silhouettes, movement, and emotional atmosphere.
Some pieces embody protection.
Others represent transformation, healing, growth, balance, or exploration.
Whenever relevant, these symbolic intentions are shared within each product description, allowing every wearer to discover the narrative behind the garment they choose.
BEYOND THE DESIGNER
I have never considered myself the creator of every idea.
Instead, I see myself as a translator.
Ideas appear unexpectedly.
Sometimes through dreams.
Sometimes through architecture.
Sometimes through science, mythology, philosophy, astronomy, or everyday life.
X0C29 simply becomes the medium through which those ideas enter the physical world.
I do not create the universe.
I listen to it.
Then I translate what I hear into form.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Education
Central Saint Martins
BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Knitwear
Creative foundation in Film before transitioning into Fashion Design.
International Editorial Recognition
Featured in:
Vogue Portugal
Harper’s Bazaar France
Harper’s Bazaar Bulgaria
PAP Magazine
Schön! Magazine
Scorpio Jin Miami
Nasty Magazine
Noctis Magazine
Recognized by VFILES (Top 10 Looks of the Week)
Platformed by Not Just A Label
Professional Experience
Internships with:
Scabal (Savile Row)
Conner Ives
Received internship offers from:
Kiko Kostadinov Womenswear
Paolina Russo
Paula Canovas Del Vas
Onrushw23fh
Interviewed by Dior Menswear
Portfolio praised by the Dior Couture team.
Modeling & Creative Collaborations
Worked as a freelance model in London alongside design practice.
Editorial and campaign work includes:
Nylon China
Sleek Magazine
Office Magazine
Adidas × Stella McCartney
ASAI × Alexandra Leese
Collaborative installation at Adidas Taikoo Hui Shanghai.
Multiple collaborations with stylist Jamie-Maree Shipton.
Featured by Walter Van Beirendonck.
A CONTINUING JOURNEY
X0C29 is still at the beginning.
Every collection is another chapter.
Every wearer becomes another voice.
Every story expands the universe.
I hope that one day, when someone wears a piece created by X0C29, they feel more than beauty.
I hope they feel courage.
Curiosity.
Connection.
And the quiet reminder that no matter how long the night may seem—
light is always waiting beyond it.
— Auren Li
Founder & Creative Director of X0C29