Meet Yumeng Li | Fashion Designer&Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yumeng Li and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yumeng, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Social impact is reflected in two areas. First, public donation: through charity initiatives such as the Yangfan Program · Siyuan Ark Safe School Uniform project, school-uniform support is provided to students in remote and under-resourced communities, helping reduce families’ burden and strengthening children’s dignity and sense of security at school. Second, productivity-driven innovation: an electric crochet-assist tool is currently under patent application. By using a transmission mechanism to drive the hook in a reciprocating motion, it partially mechanizes repetitive hand actions in crochet and embroidery, improving efficiency and consistency while reducing reliance on long hours of manual labor—supporting a more scalable, sustainable production model.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My practice sits between avant-garde fashion and contemporary art. At its core, it translates emotion into wearable structural language, while addressing cultural identity, gender fluidity, and the lived conditions of the contemporary individual. Rather than pursuing form for its own sake, the work asks what art can genuinely offer people: can it make suppressed feelings visible, make complex identities legible, and help the wearer regain agency between the body and society? “Emotional beauty” often serves as a guiding thread—transforming vulnerability, shame, desire, and rebirth into tension between silhouette, material, and the body.
Professionally, the path has not been easy, largely because it requires constant balance between funding realities, market expectations, and artistic conviction—maintaining sharpness and honesty while remaining viable for real production and wear. On one hand, sustainability is treated as a concrete practice rather than a slogan, through the reuse, remaking, and reconstruction of deadstock fabrics and existing garments to reduce waste. On the other hand, 3D software is integrated throughout the development process to move designs from imagination into verifiable outcomes. Patterns, silhouettes, and details are tested through digital simulation before limited physical sampling, significantly reducing iteration cycles, material consumption, and development time—while improving production efficiency and enabling structural innovation to be implemented and refined.
This “concept + system” approach is shaped by an interdisciplinary education: undergraduate training in mathematics strengthened structural thinking and logic; graduate study in fashion design made it possible to translate abstract ideas into pattern, construction, and body language; and MBA study in business school provided a clearer understanding of operations, brand strategy, and resource allocation—supporting a more sustainable pathway for building and growing the brand over the long term.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to Shenzhen for a week, the plan would blend ocean air, city energy, and creative culture—without over-scheduling. Days would start with a reset by the water (Yantian/Dameisha or a long walk along Shenzhen Bay for sunset), then shift into the city for galleries and current exhibitions, bookshops, and café breaks to slow down and absorb the vibe. One afternoon would be reserved for OCT-LOFT and nearby creative districts—independent boutiques, small shows, and design-forward spaces. Evenings would be for the skyline around Civic Center/Lianhuashan, followed by the real Shenzhen ritual: hotpot (especially Chaoshan beef), late-night barbecue, congee/seafood, dessert shops, and a relaxed bar for conversation. The most exciting part of Shenzhen is the constant switch—sea to skyscrapers, calm to intensity, art to street life—everything feels fast, open, and energizing, and it’s easy to have a genuinely “best time ever” here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This Shoutout is dedicated to the individuals and institutions whose support has been instrumental to my journey and professional accomplishments. Special acknowledgement goes to internationally recognized public figures who have selected and worn my work; within highly visible, rigorously curated contexts, their choice serves as a meaningful endorsement of my designs’ conceptual rigor, technical execution, and runway presence, and has further strengthened broader industry recognition. Appreciation is also extended to mentors and academic institutions that provided rigorous training and sustained guidance, as well as to organizations, juries, curators, and editors who offered professional evaluation and platforms at critical junctures—enabling my work to reach international audiences within elevated standards. Lastly, recognition is given to the teams, ateliers, and collaborators whose technical expertise and production support have been indispensable to consistent realization, continuous refinement, and demonstrable professional outcomes. Collectively, these contributions have formed a cornerstone of my sustained achievements and growing impact in the field.

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