Xi Chen

Xi Chen is the Founder and Creative Director of Sonderlier, a sustainable fashion brand that focuses on creating versatile, comfortable clothing for women. Launched in 2019, Sonderlier aims to combine fashion with wellness and sustainability, offering designs that allow women to feel both beautiful and comfortable in their everyday lives. The brand emphasizes "camera-ready" clothing that can transition seamlessly from day to night, reflecting Xi's belief that fashion should not compromise comfort for style.12

Background and Career

Xi Chen initially pursued a career in academia as a professor of engineering, where she specialized in areas such as supply chain management and operations management. Despite her early career path, her passion for fashion led her to establish Sonderlier after recognizing a gap in the market for stylish yet comfortable clothing. This realization was partly driven by her own struggles to find suitable attire that met her needs as a busy professional.125

Achievements

Under Xi's leadership, Sonderlier successfully funded its first collection on Kickstarter, achieving 212% of its funding goal within 24 hours. This success highlights the demand for her innovative approach to women's clothing. Xi has also been recognized in various media outlets, including Nasdaq, for her contributions to the fashion industry as a woman founder aiming to disrupt traditional norms.15

Philosophy and Vision

Xi's vision for Sonderlier revolves around enhancing women's everyday well-being through thoughtfully designed clothing. She believes that how we dress significantly impacts our confidence and ability to pursue our ambitions. Her designs are intended to support women's lifestyles while allowing them to express their individuality without discomfort.34

In addition to her role at Sonderlier, Xi is involved with the Dreamers & Doers collective, which supports female entrepreneurs.2 She holds degrees from Fudan University (B.S. in Mathematics) and the University of Minnesota (Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering) and has worked as an assistant professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn since 2014.2