Designer Bio
Since she came to London in 2001 as a fashion student in University Art London, Miss Yuan Li has kept her Chinese heritage, absorbed essence of British culture, European history and art, and grown up again with circle of Bohemian artists and muses in East London.
After graduated from UAL, as a fashion designer for 15 years she has created a distinctive style in women's bridal, evening wear and couture millinery. While she worked for evening wear company Ariella Fashion, her designs were awarded by UKFT and received award fro HRH Princess Anne.
While she worked as a couture designer, her designs have become favourites of celebrities such as Myleene Klass, Beverley Knight, Holly Willoughby, Michelle Keegan, Camilla Dallerup etc. , for their red carpet events and were featured in major magazines, TV and newspapers such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, BBC, ITV etc.
In 2011, for the iconic Playboy club reopening in London, she recreated limited edition "Union Jack bunny outfits" based on the famous 60s Bunny outfit that wowed club’s launching night.
From 2009-2012, she was involved in the revival of Blitz club scene and Leigh Bowery style underground culture in London, it opens a door of new energy and imaginations, and she found true passion of millinery and self-expression after bumping into her hat hero Stephen Jones in Eurostar at 5am, the conversation with him changed her life, inspired her become a milliner, she went to study millinery skills in UAL and Kensington and Chelsea College, and eventrually started her own label YUANLILONDON Millinery.
Creativity and craftsmanship of millinery is a wonderful journey yet with many challenges, just like what Stephen Jones said to her, “Don’t make hats if you wanted a easy life, but if you want to do something extraordinary and fascinating, DO become a milliner!”