iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD: Xiaomi's Lu Chen talks about sponsoring young talents
You just can’t organize a competition for talented design students without the support of professionals, of companies, who live by these ideas too. We welcome our new sponsor Xiaomi - one of the world's leading manufacturers of smartphones - with an interview with Senior Design Director Lu Chen!
iF: First of all, what was Xiaomi's motivation to become a sponsor of the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2026 to promote young design talents?
Lu Chen: Xiaomi has partnered with the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2026 to empower young designers worldwide and strengthen its presence within the design community, among students and professionals alike. Through this initiative, Xiaomi shares its product philosophy and design vision, enhancing the brand’s global appeal and influence in the process. The company is dedicated to identifying and developing emerging design talent, fostering innovation and establishing a robust talent pipeline to support its long-term globalisation strategy.
What do you expect from the competition's participants? What constitutes an ‘award-worthy’ student concept?
We are looking for participants who possess not only solid design skills, but also a forward-looking vision and the courage to challenge conventions. Award-winning work often stems from bold imagination about the future and reflects the rethinking and innovation of existing design languages. It responds to real problems with clear, systematic thinking and is presented through mature design execution.
Specifically, it should demonstrate:
- bold, future-oriented imagination and vision
- the courage to challenge conventions and showcase independent thinking
- logical, practical and well-structured problem-solving approaches
- excellent design skills and a high-quality presentation
Lu Chen, Xiaomi Inc., Beijing, China
Lu Chen is the Senior Design Director of Xiaomi, responsible for packaging, product and VI design. She graduated from Art Center College of Design, USA with a bachelor's degree in graphic design and joined Xiaomi in 2011. Over the years, Chen Lu has been committed to improving Xiaomi's product strength through design. She led the team to complete the packaging design of the entire product line starting from the first generation of Xiaomi mobile phones, Xiaomi brand design and many derivative products around Xiaomi. Chen's work has won many international design competition awards.
Sustainability and relevance are two of the most important social issues of our time. Xiaomi is the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer. How do you and Xiaomi address these issues?
Xiaomi Corporation has long upheld the principle of 'amazing products at honest prices', fulfilling our mission to 'let everyone in the world enjoy a better life through innovative technology'. Today, our commitment to building a better future is driving us to pursue sustainable development with greater urgency. With unwavering courage and resolve, we are forging ahead towards a brighter, cleaner future.
The “Human x Car x Home” ecosystem: As a global leader in consumer electronics and smart manufacturing with a foundation in smartphones, smart hardware and IoT platforms, Xiaomi Corporation officially elevated its corporate strategy to the 'Human x Car x Home' ecosystem in 2023. Following the launch of Xiaomi’s smart EV business, the Group has now completed this holistic ecosystem.
Xiaomi’s long-term vision is to prioritise sustainable development while pursuing financial success. We are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by enhancing energy efficiency, adopting clean energy practices and pursuing smart manufacturing innovations.
During the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2024, we released our latest sustainability strategy, which is driven by Xiaomi’s core foundational technologies and aims to make artificial intelligence accessible to all. This strategy is in line with the Group’s “Human x Car x Home” ecosystem, which is designed to empower consumers with a low-carbon, efficient and intelligent lifestyle.
46 iF DESIGN AWARDS 2025
Xiaomi Inc. has won 46 iF DESIGN AWARDS in 2025 alone, and around 238 since first entering the competition. Its range of smart products is impressive, including baby monitors, phones, smart car security systems, and even walkie-talkies.
What are the key skills you expect when looking for new designers for the Xiaomi design team?
When recruiting new designers, I focus on four key qualities: a strong sense of aesthetics and design, critical thinking and solid logic, the ability to quickly learn new fields and master diverse skills. And if I may add, Xiaomi is currently recruiting globally in industrial, visual, and transportation design, and we would be excited to welcome more talented designers to join us.
What is your number one advice to young, aspiring designers and why?
You may maintain a multidimensional perspective, looking beyond aesthetics and function to the value design brings to users and society. Young designers should embrace collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, as complex challenges often require diverse perspectives. Lastly, adopt new technologies with critical thinking, ensuring that values—not tools—guide the design. I believe these qualities are essential to becoming an outstanding designer. At Xiaomi, we nurture our designers in the same way, and we hope they can expand their careers as the company continues to grow globally.