Tingzhi Liu

About

I help fashion and materials businesses turn fragmented ideas into systems that actually work. The problem in fashion and materials innovation isn't lack of ideas. It's that everyone's working in silos. The innovators are in the lab, the waste is piling up, the commercial team is under pressure, and nobody's connecting the dots. I spent over a decade doing this, from material development at Céline, Alexander McQueen, and Erdem in Europe, to building the product and creative operational infrastructure at Love, Bonito as VP of Design & Development. I now run WASTD, a circular design studio transforming textile and industrial waste into high-value surfaces and objects, and lecture at LASALLE College of the Arts on sustainable textile practices. Having built from scratch and worked deep inside scaling organisations, I understand both sides: the internal resistance, the commercial gates, and the brand concerns. I know where circular solutions get stuck, and how to get them unstuck. If you're a brand with a waste problem, a materials innovator trying to scale, or an organisation that needs someone to connect the dots — let's talk. Open to consulting engagements and fractional roles across the Asia-Europe corridor.

Experience

• Founder · WASTD2024-11-01 –

  A circular design studio that transforms textile and industrial waste into high-value surfaces, objects, and brand installations. We work with fashion brands, interior developers, and corporates to close the loop on waste, making it both beautiful and commercially viable.

• Lecturer, Textiles for Fashion · LASALLE College of the Arts2023-08-01 –

  Lecturing on the Textiles for Fashion Degree Programme with a focus on sustainable and circular textile practices, regional craft traditions, and material innovation. Bridging industry reality with academic thinking, bringing real commercial experience into the classroom.

• VP Design & Development · Love, Bonito2022-01-01 – 2024-03-01

  Spent over five years building the creative and operational backbone of one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing fashion brands. Set up the sourcing and production team, materials sourcing infrastructure, and product development function from scratch. Built a high-retention team culture that blended creative ambition with commercial discipline, translating brand vision into product that actually sold. Led the full design and development function across a period of significant company growth.

• Head of Design · Love, Bonito2019-04-01 – 2021-12-01
• Design Consultant, New Developments · Love, Bonito2018-12-01 – 2019-04-01
• Member of the Sustainability Committee · Singapore Fashion Council2021-11-01 – 2022-12-01

  Contributed to industry-level sustainability strategy and policy direction for Singapore's fashion sector.

• Material Developer & Designer · Erdem2017-01-01 – 2018-01-01

  Heading up Embroidery & product development

• Materials & Print Assistant Designer · Alexander McQueen2015-06-01 – 2017-01-01
• Material Development Assistant · Céline2014-02-01 – 2015-04-01

  Fabric Material Development for RTW and Resort collections under Phoebe Philo

• Design Assistant · Christian Dior Couture2013-08-01 – 2014-01-01

  Couture, Resort and Prêt-à-Porter collections under Raf Simons

Education

• Central Saint Martins College of Art & DesignBA Fashion, Womenswear, Textiles

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