The product of more than 30 years' combined experience in luxury manufacturing, Lu Mei – by Lu Lu and Hunter Mei (see what they did there) – is an ode to modern iconic outerwear.

Working between London, where the design team put together their creative know-how and innovative ideas, and China, where the family-run factory situates, the pair have put their expertise to creative use with outstanding quality and craftsmanship. Forever pieces are what you get here.

With collections inspired by retro sportswear and early streetwear, expect playful proportions, colour-charged palettes and intelligent details like tonal stitching, woven neck and cuff details and original vinyl artwork. From goose down insulation to technical fabrics sourced from premier mills, the precision and concept behind the brand have us hooked. And so, we wanted to learn more about the pair’s day-to-day happenings...



“Our morning route takes us through the beautiful Southwark Park – this view is from the old council entrance remains in the park.  Now it’s a nice sitting area with such a lovely view; we come here often to enjoy our lunch when it’s sunny.”

“The time difference between China and London is seven or eight hours, so we often have to speak to people in China late at night.  When we can get up early and have a good sleep, we love to enjoy the morning sun and a nice coffee.”

This season is about the British attitude – from many photographs of young people on the streets around the country. We always think about how the inspiration can link the creative direction with our outerwear pieces, for example, a special fabric texture or a colourful print.”



“The process we enjoy the most is the research of fabric, along with setting up the moodboards and the first sketches. Inspiration comes from many different outlets, but mostly it’s a certain attitude that dictates the mood of the collection.”

“In our studio, we love that there’s plenty of sunlight and we can take Marco (our golden retriever) to work!  It is a lovely space with many plants and everyone in the studio is just very relaxed while working.”



“Music-wise, we are currently listening to The XX – they’re our favourite!”

“In this studio image, you can see the table where we cut the base of our new shapes and develop new details for each season.  Our lucky bamboo and vintage ski poster also make their debut."



“We do what we do because it is not only work, but it is a long term project between us two – also between us and our family.  It almost becomes part of our life, which, for a creative business, is certainly a good thing.  There is a strong family sense in the company too, as each one of the team really cares about every aspect of the brand.”

It might not be winter yet, but there's no harm in prepping... 



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Tags: hunter mei , lu mei