About

A Rebel with Restraint

&Larry began in 2005 from ground zero — little more than an idea and the will to see what might come of it. Like Led Zeppelin sang, I was “standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams, telling myself it’s not as hard as it seems.”

From the start, I found inspiration in the overlooked and the everyday. From tissue packs literally designed to reserve seats at hawker centres to a pair of shoes for Singa the Courtesy Lion, these objects became vessels for design and commentary. Some were straightforward in their visual cues, others more subversive — requiring a second look, a pause, or a thought. They were viral before memes were even a thing — always tongue-in-cheek, always inviting you to look beyond the surface.

Over two decades, the studio built a body of work both commercial and artistic, even earning the President’s Design Award. Yet the handmade Objects series — my first love and neglected child — remained quietly in the shadows, much like myself, comfortable letting the work speak.

Today, I return to those roots. Late nights and weekends at the workbench, tools in hand, or behind the machine designing, reminded me of Soul Purpose® — our studio’s very own methodology to get to the heart and soul of a brand or a person. But this time, I am not alone. Beyond the works you see here, I have invited collaborators — trusted colleagues, friends, and fellow creatives — to join me in making new pieces. After all, that’s what “&L” has always stood for: everyone and everything that comes before me.

XX&L is not just about 20 years of &Larry, but also the people, places, and times that shaped us. This is both a look back and a quiet nudge forward — a reminder to never let the child in you grow up too fast. To always stay curious, stay hungry, stay foolish. Because in the end, you can afford to lose everything, but never your soul.