Introduction
When Lulu Guinness approached me in August 2025 about a potential partnership, I was thrilled.
As a celebrated British designer renowned for her surrealist vision and statement-making accessories, Lulu excels at turning the everyday into the iconic. This aligns perfectly with Khu Khu’s mission: to transform the humble hand-fan into something beautiful, bold, and extraordinary.
I knew the Lulu Guinness team would bring a brilliant, playful vision to the table. My role was to act as the translator. Because a hand-fan is a complex, moving canvas, I advised on how the artwork would behave across the pleats, ensured the textures translated flawlessly, and sourced the extra detailing needed to make the final designs truly pop.
The Designs
The final collection features four distinct designs from the Lulu Guinness team.
Heatwave
To ensure every composition works flawlessly, we always create a paper mock-up first using existing sticks. For 'Heatwave,' it took just a few minor tweaks to perfectly position the print, making the design ready for production.
The Black & White Stripe Fan (with Tassel)
This design was another instant hit on paper, with the graphic stripes looking amazing from the very first mock-up. The challenge here was in the execution: we worked closely with our teladora (fabric worker) to ensure the fabric was mounted to give just the right amount of space below and above the red line in the design. As a final touch, we sourced a custom tassel in that unmistakable, signature Lulu red.
The Deck of Cards Fan
To accommodate life-sized playing cards into the frame, we modified our classic 23cm model by choosing a stick with an extra 0.8mm on the rib. Even with this new woodwork, the composition required precise adjustments during the paper mock-up stage. The final result is a true masterclass in the mounting process—a perfect flush!
The Lip Lace Fan
The lip shape is the ultimate symbol of the Lulu Guinness aesthetic, so we knew we had to create a signature lip-shaped hand-fan. Pushing past standard manufacturing limits, we created an entirely new mould from scratch. Thanks to a collaborative team of 3D designers, illustrators, and traditional fan-makers, the Lip Lace hand-fan was born. The contour of the lip creates a natural grip for the hand, and the final finish is truly ooh la la.
Stage 1: The Initial Spark
The breakthrough idea was to abandon the traditional fan shape entirely in favour of an actual lip silhouette. While my initial sketch lacked the final refined form, it proved that the concept of a lip-shaped hand-fan was possible - a completely new kind of hand-fan was forming.
Stage 2: Finding the Silhouette
We focused on sculpting the ideal lip shape—sensuous and beautiful, yet compact enough to fit comfortably in the hand.
Stage 3: Fine-Tuning the Details
The second version was much closer, but it still needed some tweaking. The edges were a bit too pointy, and there was too much of a gap between the lip's outer edge and where the fabric sat. We softened the contours of the fan and tweaked the shape so it looked stunning from the front, the side, and—most importantly—in motion. With those adjustments, the perfect shape was locked in.
Stage 4: The Final Flourish
With the structure perfected, it was time to choose the final print and colourway. What would be the perfect look? Full, classic red lips? Or something to add a bit of contrast? We experimented with various aesthetics to find the ultimate match for this show-stopping piece.
Stage 5: The Final Match
Ultimately, the iconic 'Lip Lace' print won us over. First we created a paper mock-up using sample sticks to ensure the intricate pattern sat perfectly across the distinctive fan ‘leaf’ area. The composition was flawless, the look was pure Lulu Guinness, and everything was officially good to go.
The Detailing
Being a Lulu Guinness collaboration, the finishing touches needed to reflect the luxury and prestige of the brand.
We created a bespoke 'lips' paper slip to wrap around the fans, 100% black cotton drawstring pouches featuring the logo, and embossed branding on every single hand-fan.
As the final touch of playful luxury, we added a velvet band to keep the hand-fan beautifully and safely held together while it awaits its next dramatic flick. Simply superb!
Visit Lulu Guinness here
From concept to creation - the Lulu Guinness collaboration
Introduction
When Lulu Guinness approached me in August 2025 about a potential partnership, I was thrilled.
As a celebrated British designer renowned for her surrealist vision and statement-making accessories, Lulu excels at turning the everyday into the iconic. This aligns perfectly with Khu Khu’s mission: to transform the humble hand-fan into something beautiful, bold, and extraordinary.
I knew the Lulu Guinness team would bring a brilliant, playful vision to the table. My role was to act as the translator. Because a hand-fan is a complex, moving canvas, I advised on how the artwork would behave across the pleats, ensured the textures translated flawlessly, and sourced the extra detailing needed to make the final designs truly pop.
The Designs
The final collection features four distinct designs from the Lulu Guinness team.
Heatwave
To ensure every composition works flawlessly, we always create a paper mock-up first using existing sticks. For 'Heatwave,' it took just a few minor tweaks to perfectly position the print, making the design ready for production.
The Black & White Stripe Fan (with Tassel)
This design was another instant hit on paper, with the graphic stripes looking amazing from the very first mock-up. The challenge here was in the execution: we worked closely with our teladora (fabric worker) to ensure the fabric was mounted to give just the right amount of space below and above the red line in the design. As a final touch, we sourced a custom tassel in that unmistakable, signature Lulu red.
The Deck of Cards Fan
To accommodate life-sized playing cards into the frame, we modified our classic 23cm model by choosing a stick with an extra 0.8mm on the rib. Even with this new woodwork, the composition required precise adjustments during the paper mock-up stage. The final result is a true masterclass in the mounting process—a perfect flush!
The Lip Lace Fan
The lip shape is the ultimate symbol of the Lulu Guinness aesthetic, so we knew we had to create a signature lip-shaped hand-fan. Pushing past standard manufacturing limits, we created an entirely new mould from scratch. Thanks to a collaborative team of 3D designers, illustrators, and traditional fan-makers, the Lip Lace hand-fan was born. The contour of the lip creates a natural grip for the hand, and the final finish is truly ooh la la.
Stage 1: The Initial Spark
The breakthrough idea was to abandon the traditional fan shape entirely in favour of an actual lip silhouette. While my initial sketch lacked the final refined form, it proved that the concept of a lip-shaped hand-fan was possible - a completely new kind of hand-fan was forming.
Stage 2: Finding the Silhouette
We focused on sculpting the ideal lip shape—sensuous and beautiful, yet compact enough to fit comfortably in the hand.
Stage 3: Fine-Tuning the Details
The second version was much closer, but it still needed some tweaking. The edges were a bit too pointy, and there was too much of a gap between the lip's outer edge and where the fabric sat. We softened the contours of the fan and tweaked the shape so it looked stunning from the front, the side, and—most importantly—in motion. With those adjustments, the perfect shape was locked in.
Stage 4: The Final Flourish
With the structure perfected, it was time to choose the final print and colourway. What would be the perfect look? Full, classic red lips? Or something to add a bit of contrast? We experimented with various aesthetics to find the ultimate match for this show-stopping piece.
Stage 5: The Final Match
Ultimately, the iconic 'Lip Lace' print won us over. First we created a paper mock-up using sample sticks to ensure the intricate pattern sat perfectly across the distinctive fan ‘leaf’ area. The composition was flawless, the look was pure Lulu Guinness, and everything was officially good to go.
The Detailing
Being a Lulu Guinness collaboration, the finishing touches needed to reflect the luxury and prestige of the brand.
We created a bespoke 'lips' paper slip to wrap around the fans, 100% black cotton drawstring pouches featuring the logo, and embossed branding on every single hand-fan.
As the final touch of playful luxury, we added a velvet band to keep the hand-fan beautifully and safely held together while it awaits its next dramatic flick. Simply superb!