BUNDSHOP Collection I Launch Preview MAGAZINE by Stephany Zoo

BUNDSHOP COLLECTION I - LAUNCH PREVIEW

Newchi / Sansa / SOZEN / Nuomi / John Meng / Carl Liu / Latitude22N / MaryH / Nono Muaks / Zhoujie Zhang

MADE IN CHINA IS DEAD DESIGNED IN CHINA KILLED IT www.bundshop.com

ABOUT bundshop

designed in china not just made in china We believe in the act of creation. The courage to step off the beaten path. To take an idea from concept to reality. To start a company, open a boutique, create a worldclass brand. So we were puzzled by the question: Why are there so few Chinese brands and designers known internationally? We set out to find that answer, and discovered a new generation of visionaries and creatives. From halfway across the world, from the cities of Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong to the mountains of Shandong and the coastal towns of Hangzhou, we bring you new designs and inspirations,

every 24 hours.

Each product is hand-selected by the BUNDSHOP team, and each designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story is written after many coffee meetings, drinks, and conversations. Since many of our designers work with small-scale production to control quality, our products are of very limited quantity and available for purchase only for their 24-hour feature date.

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UNDSHOP was founded in July 2012, when four friends flew from cities around the world to meet in Shanghai to realize a shared vision:

To create an online platform to share the extraordinary products and stories of a new generation of Chinese designers with the world. We came to Shanghai independently for all different reasons in 2011. Sparks flew as we became close friends, unified by our passion for the local creative design community and sheer energy of the city. Our adventures led us to discover incredible products by local designers and vibrant new brands. After summer 2011, we went our separate ways but emailed and Skyped nonstop for six months about one question: why were so few designers and brands from China known to the world? We decided to take the leap to find the answer in March 2012, booked our flights, and moved in together. We spent three months collecting the best of design all over China. We explored street boutiques, hidden design studios, fashion shows, exhibitions, galleries, pop-up stores. Each day we found more designers and brands, and BUNDSHOP supporters grew rapidly as new friends joined the team. Today, we’re pleased to present you an exclusive preview of some of the most inspiring designers and brands we’ve discovered. Starting October 29th, 2012, we’ll be showcasing one new design product every 24 hours, by designers from the bustling metropolises of Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong to the peaceful coastal cities of Hangzhou and Xiamen. From Shanghai, a warm welcome to the BUNDSHOP: The world’s first portal to Chinese independent design. Diana, Donnie, Lilly, Ruizhi Co-founders, BUNDSHOP.COM

CO-FOUNDERS 3 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

1. NewChi / 2. Sansa / 3. SOZEN / 4. Nuomi / 5. John Meng / 6. Carl Liu / 7. Latitude22n / 8. MaryH / 9. Nono Muaks / 10. Zhoujie Zhang

N . 1

i h C w e

NewChi - Imperial Memories

Searching for the Chinese Aesthetic hi’s por C ew N , y glance to def g seem first At pieces the pirouettin levicelain y. From to the teagravit collection emories Ballet Imperial M designed by m the ageto transfor evolution: be from t n piece e tating t n i to y s nd r s hi And this wa f porcelain-making, a of millions of pot, ever Wang seems . o s d t e f r a d r old c universe Heinrich terated hun a process i e z i alternate an istory. hroughout h times t

einrich Wang started as a movie director, but felt too much disregard of Chinese culture in the film industry. So in 1994 he founded a glass company, Tittot, that led the world to dub him “the father of Chinese modern glass art.” In 2003, he was ready for a new challenge. “Porcelain has lost its dynamism since the Ming and Qing dynasty. Porcelain in China today is stuck in a rut of copying old designs, there’s been no evolution,” explains Heinrich.

So the master glass-maker’s mission shifted to porcelain. “I wanted to introduce something completely new to the world, but rooted in Chinese culture. A new style,” says Heinrich. But this journey was to be long and difficult. He was about to come across many unexpected challenges in executing his vision of innovative production methods on an ancient craft steeped in traditions.

Designer - Heinrich Wang 7 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

“Chinese aesthetics is a poetic romance.” 1 Perfect Piece out of 100 Produced

is first step was to seek production for his designs in the workshops of famous pottery villages across China. “I already had a glass factory, and I did not want to open another one for porcelain. It’s a lot of work,” he explained. But during his search, he encountered only traditional methodology and close-mindedness. “Everyone told me it would be impossible to create such complex shapes and angles out of porcelain,” says Heinrich.

Using the Sillhouette teacup as an example, Heinrich explains the intricate details and extreme expertise required to produce the perfection of his products. “The angular handle will shrink in the kiln at a different rate to the rest of the tea cup. We know that most parts will shrink around 15 percent, but the handle may shrink faster than the cup and therefore crack.” NewChi now has research and manufacturing facilities in Taiwan and mainland China, where Heinrich and his team experiment freely with revolutionary new practices. Through their research, they have managed to increase their success rate to 10 percent of products constructed. When asked about his products’ high failure rate, Heinrich says it never bothers him. “I accepted it would happen, but I knew that I would be adding something new to the world,” Heinrich adds, “My decision to create NewChi stemmed

But he was fixated on his vision for a new porcelain never before seen by the world. So he resolved to build his own factory. “I spent 8 years perfecting the technique and testing. There were so many failures along the way. We had only a 1% success rate to begin with, meaning we had to create 100 pieces to get a single, perfect result,” Heinrich reflects.

NewChi - Silhoutte 8 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

from my spiritual belief. I have no regrets in this journey to express my own perspective of the world aesthetically and creatively.” This positivity, enthusiasm and determination led to the realization of NewChi’s first collection a decade after Heinrich first envisioned the company. Today, Heinrich and his team continue to improve on their processes as they seek to show the world the high quality of production China can achieve with experimental research and development.

The Philosophy of NewChi

ewChi derives its name from the word ‘Chi’ which means energy in China. Explains Heinrich, “I want to bring a new Chi or energy to Chinese porcelain. Chi is a positive energy that circulates within the body and gives a person the spirit to live. Chinese [people] believe everything has its physical form and abstract form. NewChi’s products are designed to use physical forms to express Chi, this abstract energy, in different aspects of life.”

NewChi’s Future

point where he can make his collections accessible as more than just luxury products. “I have been working toward mass-production, because I wish more people could experience life in a different way through my designs,” he explains, “NewChi defines itself in terms of culture, craftsmanship, and history. In ten years, we seek to take NewChi to a leadership position to show Chinese brands why they should not desire to copy the old. Instead, they must stimulate creativity in modern Chinese design.” NewChi’s designs are already coveted throughout China and Taiwan as prestigious gifts for government officials, weddings, and celebrities. But Heinrich is not about to stop to celebrate two successful brands. He is already moving on to his next challenge: a collection combining glass and porcelain, to create a fusion style never-before-attempted. Heinrich is undoubtedly on the verge of creating yet another aesthetic to impress and delight the world. u

Ballet Collection Story Ballet was NewChi’s first collection, released in 2004 when the company was just a small studio with three employees. Heinrich designed the pieces with near impossible shapes. The main challenges are the tendency of porcelain to shrink and contract under high temperatures, which explains why porcelain is usually rounded. Ballet’s design challenged the medium with new textures, angles, straight lines, and playful asymmetry. Its revolutionary design led to many technical obstacles. The piece was discontinued in 2006 due to cost of production being simply too high to sustain. Only a few pieces remain today for sale. To Heinrich, the Ballet set signifies harmony and balance. “The ballerina after countless practice can convey perfectly balanced aesthetics in harmony with the dancers around her. We can learn from ballerinas. While expressing our own identity, we should also build a harmonious relationship with the people around us. Thus, this tea set has a shape similar to the pointing toes of the ballerina.”

ewChi’s high failure rate results in strictly limited editions of each piece. However, Heinrich seeks to improve his production processes towards a

NewChi - Ballet Collection 9 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

2.SANSA

k Case

ic - Toothp g n a h S g Shan

An audacious blend of entrepreneurial zeal and Chinese artistr y, David Jia is fast driving Sansa to become one of China’s foremost design lifestyle brands. As founder and creative director of China’s largest design firm, LKK Desi gn, David and his talented team founded Sansa to become China’s leading design brand and an international first: Designed by China.

David Jia

The Entrepreneur and Artist. The Founding of LKK.

avid Jia began training from age 3 to be a Chinese painting master. But when he was 17, a chance meeting with Liu Guanzhong changed everything. “Liu Guanzhong was the first to bring industrial design to China; he brought product design influence from Germany to China. I didn’t know such a thing as product design existed before I met Liu. I knew fate had found me, and for the next twenty years, I devoted myself to design,” says David. Few could have anticipated that this tenacious young artist would found China’s first and largest independent design company, taking LKK Design from one employee to over 300. David founded LKK in 2004. He was 28, had no investment, and his new company lacked any brand recognition. He started with just one desk and one employee, “We had no money then, so I started by renting one working desk for 500rmb a month. I could not even think of using the desk myself, so I gave it to my

Designer - David Jia 11 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

first employee. People asked me why I did not get a full office, I would always reply that my value, my work, is not in a physical space, but in here,” he says, pointing at his head. LKK’s growth started from the bottom-up, his first client was a Chinese air-conditioning manufacturer, a tiny company. In the company’s second year it began taking on larger Chinese companies, and a year later LKK was landing contracts with Samsung, Nokia, Dell, and Siemens. In 2008, LKK Design made history as the first Chinese company to win multiple awards from three of the world’s most prestigious design competitions: Red-Dot, IF, and IDEA design awards. “LKK marks a new stage in Chinese companies. Before, the big Chinese companies, such as Haier, were based on manufacturing, with an in-house design team. LKK has no manufacturing, and is based strictly on design. We’re the first design-only Chinese company to gain international recognition,” says David. David aspires for LKK to be the first Chinese design firm to break the ranks of the top 10 design firms in the world. But in the meanwhile, he has something else he’s working on: what he hopes will be the first home and furniture brand from China to be recognized in the international markets.

Sansa China

breaking new frontiers and representing the future China

t was a tiny toothpick case that ignited the founding of Sansa. The ShangShang Toothpick case brought reverence and uniqueness to a product that has long been a staple in Chinese daily lives. The idea of ShangShang was to reflect the tradition of stick-drawing at Buddhist temples, where one pulls a “fortune stick” from a barrel to predict future luck. Thus, each toothpick represents drawing a little bit of luck. David and his design team’s meticulous attention to a fully consistent customer experience extended to the toothpicks themselves: “We were concerned about current toothpicks discarded with leftover food, and being eaten by wild animals-- there have been cases of animals dying from toothpick puncturing internal organs. So we designed our own toothpicks, all biodegradable,” explained Guo Heng, Product Manager at LKK and cofounder of Sansa. At the

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World Design Congress 2009 Beijing, David Jia’s Toothpick case was so well-received that he decided it was time to take design consulting to the next level: the creation of a Chinese design brand. Sansa was inspired by David’s dream not to cater to the disposable materialism of today’s Chinese consumer, but rather to reflect what he believes the Chinese should aspire to be. To David, China’s future lies in its ability embrace its artistic and philosophical roots while integrating the modern design practices of the Western world. “Think of the way the West depicts dragons. They have wings. Angels. They also have wings. In China, neither our dragons nor our spirits have wings. The Western aesthetic focuses on rationality and functionality, but the Chinese aesthetic emphasizes internal

beauty and deeply intuitive spirituality. A dragon does not need wings to fly-- it just needs to know that the ability to fly is inherent to its existence.” This uniquely Chinese aesthetic influences each of Sansa’s designs. Its Tao of Incense collection seeks to revitalize the ancient Chinese art of incense lighting with modern interpretations. The Empty Mountain Incense Burner is inspired by the ultimate form of happiness sought by the enlightened of dynastic China. The Chinese depict true happiness as peace in nature, attained by isolation from worldly chaos. When the Empty Mountain Incense Burner is lit, the smoke cascades down the stacked stones, conveying a serenity rarely found in the fast-growing cities of modern China.

From Made in China to Design by China

ade in China conjures up images of factories and copycat products. “But I’m not concerned about copying,” says David, “It’s just a phase. Japan, Korea, all went through the same thing. You see, a child learns to speak by mimicking adults. It’s perfectly natural. But what’s not natural is when a sixteen-year-old is still copying the way adults speak.” To David, China has reached the peak of copying. This is a critical time for the transition from Made in China to Design by China: “Designers must not be afraid of being copied. It’s only by nonstop innovation and creativity that we can push the boundaries and transition from copying to true originality.”

detail, and Made in Japan represents minimalism and cutting-edge technology, Made in China has its own characteristics too. The difficulty is that Made in China has not yet found its identity. To me, the identity of Chinese Design is warmth and all-encompassing,” David explains, describing the more than fifty ethnic groups of China and the diversity and inclusiveness of the country’s collective culture. And to the world, Sansa aspires to represent the new Made in China. u

“Designers must not be afraid of being copied. It’s only by nonstop innovation and creativity that we can push the boundaries and transition from copying to true originality.”

And what will be the defining characteristic of the new Made in China? “Just as Made in Italy represents artistry and passion, Made in Germany represents meticulous attention to

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3.SOZEN

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Junjie Zhan diate ly br g’s warm th a in that nd one f gs to mi ondly nd th quick sm uatio ile e kin n. It remem imm d of teach b i profe eing i s this p ers deca de rofes ssor ndust sign siona s after rial and gr l bac de ar estab kgrou adlishe t univer sign at nd in China si d uous ’s to learn SOZEN br ties tha p t an in was p d ure c g and di d’s passi drives n es ew o h of cr c eatin ance; Jun overy. S n for con ly OZEN’ ting a d jie h s fou esign ad li ndi ttle brand inten ng … tion

I took my students on a trip to see one of the oldest bamboo craftsman villages in Shenzhou. These used to be some of the wealthiest rural villages in the 70s and 80s, when bamboo carvings and crafts were valued gifts. This particular village had master arts craftsmen that had been commissioned by Deng Xiaoping and other high-ranking officials. But then in the 90s, times changed and demand shifted, no one bought bamboo animal carvings anymore, and the workshops closed down. When my students and I went, we found most of the craftsmen were over 50, the masters were in their 70s and 80s. They had very few orders, woven baskets for some European clients, bamboo figures for tourist shops. My students and I just had this gut-wrenching feeling, a feeling of loss for some of the most valued artisan skills of the past. So we decided to find a way to integrate the old skills with modern design, and SOZEN was born.” Junjie and his students spent eight months researching how to integrate bamboo and everyday products. Every week, he and his students go to the village to work closely with the craftsmen to try out their ideas. “The master craftsmen of the village is one of China’s art masters, back in the day he received the government’s seal of honor for his work. When we showed him our sketches, he couldn’t believe it. He had never seen anything like what we were proposing, and he was skeptical that people would buy such a thing,” says Junjie, laughing, “But now we have eight craftsman working with us, who now believe in the potential of bamboo in modern product design.” SOZEN has just released its first line of vases and lights, and demand and interest in the company’s products have already vastly exceeded expectations. The SOZEN team is excited-- the more orders they have, the more business they can offer the dying bamboo-weaving and carving villages. “We like to imagine how many villages, artisans, we could support if we could revitalize this art-form. So we constantly look for creative ways to integrate bamboo into products in our daily lives.”

Junjie on Industrial Design in China

or the past decade, Junjie has been teaching industrial design at China Academy of Arts. The progress he has seen is unbelievable. “Each year advances beyond the previous years-- if you compare the quality of industrial designers from ten years ago to now…well, there is no comparison the gap is so large. Ten years ago product design was barely a major. Now you have more than 400 schools and 10,000 graduates each year,” he says.

Designer - Junjie Zhang 15 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

“We like to imagine how many villages, artisans, we could support if we could revitalize this art-form. So we constantly look for creative ways to integrate bamboo into products in our daily lives.” But one intriguing element of this rapid development is that the current generation of designers are trained with a purely Western eye for design. “They have little understanding of Chinese history, Chinese culture, Chinese art,” says Junjie. The takeaway from this is that the designers that started their careers in the late 90s have a unique style. Their grasp of Classical Chinese artistic training combined with studies of Western design lend to a fusion style of design that is lost among the post-millinial generation of Chinese designers. This window of designers, now in their 30s-40s, offers the world a glimpse at the first designs born from China’s opening to the international world. It will likely be decades before this style happens again, when the post-millinials are ready to introspect and turn from Western design to their roots to find original inspiration. u

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4.Nuomi

NUOMI change: platform for social a as fashion Luxury when she founded Lin Wen’s vision Bonita was this foresight, Bonita incredible With . 06 20 be Nuomi in ’s brand would women y xur lu a with recognized that to attract the clientele platform in the perfect those most in need support to Bo , the resources sales and operations ’s Nuomi gh for China. Throu sustainable livelihoods provides team nita’s for handicapped women, surgeries ged underprivile the disabled opportunities for orphans, and career of the first sohas created one Nuomi . homeless , combining brands in Shanghai cial entrepreneurial a social mission and design with fashion y’s couture aspect of the compan y ever in that is evident operations.

Nuomi Social

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I was 16 when I met a four-year-old child prostitute on the streets in the Philippines. At that moment I knew there was something wrong with the world, and I had to devote my life to saving these children.” Bonita embarked on a journey that led her to China’s orphanages, where she funded surgeries for handicapped babies that would otherwise never be eligible for adoption. Quickly she realized the surgeries were not enough-- “At that time the problem that bothered me was how to address the root of the problem. After surgery, after these handicapped children grew up, they had no livelihoods and were thrown out on the street,” says Bonita. And that in turn inspired the idea to create Nuomi, a platform through which she could train and employ homeless young people to produce the clothing for her customers. A visit to Nuomi’s workshop is purely inspiring, as Bonita introduces each employee. There’s Xiao Ban, abused and homeless, who has gone from illiteracy to generating 3D designs via computer. Xiao Ban now aspires to be a computer engineer. There’s Rachel, abandoned and raised in an orphanage, who has gone from cutting dress designs to sketching design-concepts, and now aspires to be a designer. Xiao Ban and Rachel are part of Nuomi’s Internship Program, and each of Nuomi’s stores’ sales is able to support two to three homeless interns. Nuomi’s other community program is not in the workshops but in small, impoverished communities around Shanghai. Bonita developed the Livelihood Program to support parents with handicapped children, torn between supporting the family financially and having to take care of children at home. The Xiang family is one example; Xianze is ten years old and has cerebral palsy, requiring full-time care taking. Both Mr. and Mrs. Xiang are employed by Nuomi, working flexible hours making Nuomi’s accessories at home. Nuomi has supported four families and four homeless interns so far, and aims to take in three to four each year. The company currently provides 36 sustainable livelihoods and aims to reach 1000 employees in the next ten years as business expands.

Designer - Bonita Lin Wen

“We look for local Shanghai style that catches our eye, and we ask ourselves, what kind of clothing would make these women look even better?”

Nuomi Style

uomi’s design team is inspired by an Asian aesthetic for contemporary women. Nuomi especially represents the Shanghai female aesthetic, an internationally unique flavor of elegant femininity combined with raw power. “Shanghai is different from London, New York, Paris…each city has its own flavor. For example in New York, you see sharp masculine cuts as women try to match men in the workplace; Shanghai women’s style is decidedly effeminate, with ruffles and soft colors, yet complemented with that dash of raw power-- straight cuts and gunmetal greys. The Shanghai woman is known for being independent-minded and very difficult to control, yet also knows well how to use her femininity to her advantage,” explains Bonita. It’s only fitting that Bonita and her team get their style inspiration not from Vogue and the West, but from street-watching in Shanghai. “We look for local Shanghai style that catches our eye, and we ask ourselves, what kind of clothing would make these women look even better? And then we create the pieces to highlight the beauty of these Shanghainese women.” Not only is each collection tailored to the “Nuomi Modern Woman”, but each piece is handmade with natural fibers. Production is in-house to guarantee the highest quality standards. The designers at Nuomi constantly experiment with ecosustainable fibres; the brand was one of the earliest to feature bamboo clothing. The company’s retail channels have grown rapidly through China, from launching their flagship store in Shanghai in 2008 to four stores in the city, with plans to expand to greater China next year. Nuomi’s fashion shows have gained local acclaim as must-attend events, featuring the latest fashion combined with compassionate community impact-proceeds from their Fall/Winter 2012 show successfully co-sponsored a 100,000rmb operation for a baby girl with biliary artesia. The brand is now looking to expand into online retail, and BUNDSHOP is one of its first collaborations in the space. 19 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

Bonita’s Philosophy

ocial entrepreneurs tend to face the same criticism: “Business and social cannot mix. Why not make money first, and then do charity?” That’s one of Bonita’s biggest challenges, as the company has built itself from the ground up with less than $10,000 USD when it first started in 2006. But her thinking is simple. “If you make money first, and then help others, those people might not be around to help. People are starving every day. I have the hospital calling me weekly about orphans that will die if they do not receive surgery. We need to understand sacrifice. It’s not about being comfortable, and then giving. It’s about the fact that making a difference has to start now,” she says. “Imagine we’re both capsized and drowning. Do I help myself first, and then maybe come back later if you’re still alive, or do we both try to help each other? Can I live with myself if I leave first and then come back later and you are dead? It’s such an easy question, if you’re my family, I wouldn’t hesitate. So why not for a stranger? Where are our modern day heroes, the models for our children, bravery, courage, and self-sacrifice?” And so it makes perfect sense that Bonita’s inspiration for Nuomi derives less from fashion icons and more from historical heroes: “Mother Theresa is definitely my inspiration. Every time I think of her, I want to cry. Abraham Lincoln. Gandhi. Nelson Mandela. Stella McCartney, for her ethics stand in fashion. Paul Smith, for his creativity.” As one of the first social entrepreneurs to emerge in China, Bonita is one of Shanghai’s local heroines. Described by That’s Shanghai magazine as a “feel-good fashion queen”, Bonita is on track to lead Nuomi into a new category in fashion: socially-driven, Shanghai-style. u

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5. John Meng

John Meng is a self-taught de-. signer based in Xiamen, China His scope of design includes furniture, home-furnishings AND giftware.

g pursuin on sim focuses creating of que de John uni in , his dream ght, . thou functional ple, that spur conversation and signs trospection

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“As a designer, you have complete freedom to create anything from household products to furniture. This is the beginning of my journey to creating my design legacy for the world.”

eng

Discovering Industrial Design in China

ohn’s first design was a simple trolley made from scrap wood planks in his backyard. He was eight years old.

His uncle was a factory worker and he had access to all sorts of parts. At that time [1970s China], there were no televisions and video games-- what is now labeled “up-cycling” was simply a child’s entertainment. “My grandmother used to wheel my trolley to the market to buy rice, I remember it made me proud,” says John. From an early age, John knew he wanted to create things. He just did not know there was a career path for this: industrial design. Because, at the time, industrial design as an education path and career did not exist in China. It was not until 1997, when John was on a trip to Europe with the Chinese engineering company he was working for at the time, that he realized all along what he had been looking for. “I saw the sleek, futuristic furniture, architectural, and interior design of France, Italy, and I was speechless. I immediately knew that I had been born for creating stuff of the like,” he explained. He taught himself furniture and product design, modern and classical art, interior design, and graphic design. A decade of self-education led to significant achievements: in 2007, John was the first Chinese freelance designer to be featured in the Milan International Furniture Show, he was selected by Korea’s Gwangdju Design Biennial as one of its 100 global designers, and his whale chair was chosen as a finalist among more than 5,500 entrants at the international furniture design competition Premio Vico Magestretti sponsored by De Padova. In 2008, two of his designs were awarded the Red-Dot Concept Design awards: the Suspension Magazine Display and the Voso-Voso 3 Rocking chair. In 2009 he applied to Dickson Furniture, a Chinese high-end design brand. The CEO of the company appreciated John’s self-made talent in-spite of his lack of formal education or experience in the industry. John smiles at the disbelief he felt when he was offered the position as head of R&D at the company, “ Dickson told me, I’ve been taking interviews for the last two years, and you’re the one. I see the talent, and I believe in you.” In 2012, John started pursuing his aspirations of creating his own design brand. This year, he debuts his first line of products internationally with BUNDSHOP, a series of four up-cycled wine lamps. “I have eight more designs in this series as sketches, and many more designs to come,” John explains, “As a designer, you have complete freedom to create anything from household products to furniture. This is the beginning of my journey to creating my design legacy for the world.” John Meng’s childhood Trolley: sketch

Designer - John Meng

THE STORY BEHIND THE SERIES

he criteria for John Meng’s first product line was strictly realistic. “My first product was to be innovative and unique, comparatively easy to produce, low in volume and light in weight to sell online, artistically inspired, and first-of-its kind for immediate and memorable impact to the consumer,” he explains. The wine lamp was the perfect fit. “I don’t remember exactly when it hit me, but one day I caught sight of a wine bottle, and all of a sudden I realized it could be used for making lamps. Not just ordinary lamps, but art-form sculptures!” And so the journey to create the wine lamp series began. The first challenge was production. John knew the headaches of trying to produce his furniture from past experience. “The factories won’t pay any attention to a freelance designer. They’re used to 1000, 10,000 quantity orders. 100 orders doesn’t get you onto their radar.” So he set out to find unconventional solutions, and in the process created his own production line. “I started approaching street vendors cutting wire, metals, making stainless steel doors. China has a lot of these. I realized quickly that I could break up the components of my lamp and have different vendors specialize on different parts. So I crafted the tools for each part, from the internal socket holders to the aluminum base of the lamp, and trained each vendor to use a different tool.” And so on the streets of Xiamen, John created his ad-hoc assembly line. He puts together the final product himself, so the vendors actually have no idea of the final product. This division of parts among different suppliers is a common tactic used by product design companies in China, to mitigate the risk of copycat products. “Intellectual Property is a big risk in China. There’s little protection, so you have to come up with your own barriers,” says John. This sentiment is a repeated theme among the hundreds of designers we’ve spoken with, and also one of the driving factors for why Chinese designers are so eager to explore international markets. John elaborates: “Our ideas are protected in Europe and the US. We can actually sell our products without the danger of having rip-offs appear on street corners a month after we release our first line.”

Chosen by Korea’s Gwangdju Design Biennial as one of only 100 designers from a global search to be featured in the Show’s “100 Designers Light”

first individual China freelance designer ever to be granted show space @ Milan International Furniture Show Salone Satellite

Suspension Magazine Display and the Voso –voso 3 rocking chair won Red-dot Concept design awards

Whale chair was chosen as a finalist entrants at the international furniture design competition sponsored by De Padova.

The Raincoat outdoor sofa and Trummer barstool were chosen as finalists in the international furniture design competition

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ou can get inspiration from many, many sources. One of my biggest sources of inspiration are books, especially antique books. They give you ideas. In the beginning, ideas are the most important thing, but with more experience, I found there are things more important than ideas. There are many many ideas, but very few can be made into very good products. Ideas are the starting point. Many designers in China think ideas are the most important, but I think it’s not. After you have a good idea, you start to make forms. You have to pick the right materials. You have to find the right method of production. The cost. So there are many different factors, after the ideas are there. It took me a lot of time before I realized you had to do much much more. That’s why I love Steve Jobs’ quotes, this one in particular gives me the mental support to dedicate to my design. ‘And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.’ u

John Meng - Patriot 24 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

. 6

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arl grew up working in h is father’s swe ater factory . Their family had many cli ents, multin ational and domestic. When he was 18, h is father made him a propos al: Take on the family busin ess.

ut Carl thought abo d then he the proposal. An He alturned it down. s heart ready knew in hi e wanted of hearts what h to do: Design.

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“I’ll do Anything to Design” a Story by Carl Liu

Designer - Carl Liu

“I

found Industrial design by accident when I was fifteen years old. My uncle loved books and he always brought books and foreign magazines. One time he brought a magazine called Design World. I was very attracted by all the pictures and articles in the magazine. One of the articles was written about a design firm in Australia. Designers worked in a bright and spacious modern glass house drawing new stuff what I had never seen it. I pictured myself setting in the room and sketching… My dream started from that moment. I was not able to study Industrial Design because there were only a few universities that offered Industrial Design as a major and my study grade was not good enough for admission. So I studied Mechanical Engineering instead because I though it was probably close enough to Industrial Design. Obviously, I was wrong.

Designer - Carl Liu was my last shot to catch my dream and I could not let it slip away.

I could not remember how many times I failed on TOEFL test before I finally got accepted by an art school in San Francisco, California College of Arts and Crafts. Most of my classes I still carried my dream after I retired of the first semester were art foundafrom the Army. I took a TOEFL test tions. I worked extremely hard and but failed to pass and to be accepted spent lots of time on my homework by any art school in USA. My parents and projects. I only slept three to were thinking about moving to Cana- four hours a day. Countless nights I da at that time. They decided to send worked all nights without any sleep. me overseas to see if I could get into a I still remember, in the first Basic good art school, but I needed to take Drawing Class the instructor asked some ESL (English as second lanevery student to draw the still objects guage) courses. Somehow I knew this so he could tell students’ skill level.

Carl Liu - Shine Shanghai Glasses

“I aim for standalone quality. Timelessness. The value of an object is independent of the brand or designer. It exists only for its utility and superior quality,”

27 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

I was so embarrassed to show my work because my drawing was so awful compared to the other studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work. Well, I was probably the oldest student in that class and my drawing was terrible. I whispered to myself that I could not lose face and I had to work on my foundation skills extra hard. My hard work finally paid off. The end of that semester I got an A- from my highly respected professor, who had only given out there As to his students during his twenty-year teaching carrier according to the seniors. Actually, I thought my work was not necessary the best in the class but my tremendous improvement was definitely recognized. The end of my freshman year, there was an annual All-Collage-Student Competition for scholarship. I was suggested to try for an entry by a friend. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t confident enough to submit my work when I found out I was going to compete with more than one hundred students but I did it anyway. Two weeks later, I got a letter form the scholarship committee to inform me that I had won the first prize. I could not believe what I saw. I was so happy and excited and kept saying I did it to myself. This experience was one of the important highlights in my life because this honor was the first major achievement through my entire student life, not to mention I was a foreign student trying to study an unfamiliar subject.

graduate. The minimal 550 TOEFL requirement was scary enough for me. I decided to check it out anyway. I drove about six hours from San Francisco to Pasadena then finally got to the school. It was probably a holiday or between semesters because the buildings were locked. Through a tinted glass, I could see some stuff inside the building. I stepped up to take a better look, and was absolutely blown away by what I saw on the other side of the glass. Beautiful design projects were nicely presented in a spacious gallery. I must have acted like a fool sticking my face on the glass for at least half an hour. Later I found out that Art Center had a Night Class program. I decided to take the summer term off and packed my stuff to LA. Although I only attended class at night I spent a lot of time on campus learning from other students. I did quite well in the Night Class so

The coming semester was a lot better for me because I started to design tangible and practical things, such as a cordless phone, spatula and a parking meter. During my study in CCAC, I always heard other students talked about the Art Center College of Design in LA Pasadena. I had read about the school and knew it was very difficult to get in and even more difficult to

Carl Liu - Expo Bike 28 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

I tried to apply for the transfer. Usually for foreign students we had to pass the English test and then the school would go through our portfolios. Once again, I was facing my biggest barrier, the TOEFL test, which failed me many times and I hated taking another one. I scored 543 this time but the minimal was 550 to get in. Two weeks left before going back to CCAC. A note from school told me the chairman saw my portfolio and he liked it very much. I could even started from the second semester if I could pass the English test according to the school regulation. I had one last chance left or I had to return to CCAC. I strongly wanted to transfer to Art Center not only because it was the best design school in America but also the class and program were more fit me. I shaved my head and locked myself in a

room for seven days. I studied TOTEL days and nights because my guts told me this could be another turning point in my life. I struggled to go back to San Francisco because I believed through Art Center’s program that I should be able to apply more practical thinking to my future design carrier.

“I shaved my head and locked myself in a room for seven days.”

I finally passed the TOEFL test and scored 577. To many foreign students I knew, it was not a big deal but it was for me because once again I proved it to me that there is a will there is a way.”

The Man with Two Lives

arl was thirty when he graduated from the Art Center’s program. He received many offers, and eventually decided to work for Astro Design in Palo Alto. From there, he pursued a vibrant career spanning Motorola, Intel, and Walt Disney. After more than a decade, he decided to found Idea Dao, a design consultancy in Shanghai. At the same time, he aspired to create his own product line. However, product design is an extremely challenging field for an independent designer, as production costs are high and developing sales and distribution channels is a risky undertaking. So, Carl leads two lives. His day life is as Creative Director of Idea Dao. Idea Dao has won several Red-Dot awards and works with high-profile clientele, such as Microsoft, Intel, and Samsung. Carl’s day job goes from 930am to 7pm, after which he returns home to spend time with his family and children. After his children are put to bed around 10pm, his second life begins. “I work on my own designs from 10pm until 3am.The house is completely quiet, and I have total focus on my work.” It is during this five-hour late-night period that Carl has produced works such as his coat rack, taiji chopsticks, 29 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

and Shanghai breeze fan. In 2008, Carl launched his products under his own brand, Newtive Creations. In his blog, on November 22, 2008, he introduces Newtive: “It has been a long journey since I naively dreamed about having my own brand and production products. I often work till dawn pursuing my little ego after my regular day job. In recent years, I have managed to come out with quite a few production-ready products. Aside from my strong passion in design, all the support and guidance from you are the most important forces to push me go further and beyond.” In the past four years, Carl has worked with manufacturers to make his dream a reality, and placed his products in several boutiques in China. For Carl, having his consulting day job and his passion-fulfilling night job allows his design to be free of financial pressures-a learning process rather than what supports his family. “Some designers aim to have the biggest brands in the world. I just want to create truly timeless, quality products,” says Carl, “It’s a never-ending learning process. If you asked me now what I’ve made that I can call truly timeless, I would have no answer for you. Because if I did, that would mean I’ve stopped learning. Design takes time. Everyone today is in a rush. But good design cannot be rushed. It takes patience, learning.” Carl has been designing products for more than seventeen years, and to him, the journey is just beginning.

ness. The value of an object is independent of the brand or designer. It exists only for its utility and superior quality,” Carl explains. “What inspires me to design are problems. It’s when I need a product, and I can’t find the right solution, that’s when I start designing.”

The Story of the Shanghai Breeze Fan

hanghai’s rapid development is a product of human ingenuity and perseverance, and no element represents this better than the skyscrapers that have blossomed along the Huangpu River, what the Shanghai locals so fondly call “The Bund”. Each row of Carl’s Shanghai Breeze Fan depicts an iconic Shanghai skyscraper. “China’s slowly opened to the world in the past two decades, and the slow movement of opening of a fan reflects this process,” explains Carl. Another element at play is the representation of New China through an ancient cultural medium. “China’s progressed too quickly, to the point where some Chinese people feel lost from their surroundings. The fan is something solid from the past to hold onto, while reflecting the progress that has taken place in the last ten years in China.” u

What is Good Design?

ccording to Carl, “good design is not just making beautiful things. Good design is having a feel about what’s missing, what solutions consumers are looking for. It’s not market research, it’s not quantitative. It’s instinct and taste.” “I aim for stand-alone quality. TimelessCarl Liu - Shanghai Breeze Fan 30 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

n 2 2 e d u t i t 7. La

ceramic works met Julie and Jesse’s the artists knew re fo be ln ki e th in istence. of each others’ ex

that Four years after s meeting, first precipitou born. Latitude22N was

n 2 e2

d u it

t a L

“

We both set out a piece to fire in a studio. The pieces were similar, and when we saw each other’s work we both thought, that’s a nice piece but it looks like mine…. who’s the copy cat? We actually liked each others’ work and wanted each others’ piece before we even met.”

Jesse and Julie asked around the studio and when the two eventually met, they could not help but gift one another their respective pieces. “One thing led to another, we fell in love with each other’s art…and each other…and then we got married. We made our first collection together for our wedding. Our friends and family liked the pieces so much that we decided to start Latitude22N.”

From China, with Love

atitude22N is about making timeless designs and beautifully made products, to be kept and handed down to the next generation. Each piece is lovingly crafted in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China. “It’s easy to forget all of this history and to focus only on the Made in China label and all the negativity that has been associated with it in the last ten years or so,” says Julie, but the couple says the superior craftsmanship at Jingdezhen needs to be recognized as some of the best in the world. “Working in Jingdezhen has been an incredible experience. We have met a wealth of craftsmen that have amazing skill, and we learn so much from our collaborations,” says Jesse. When the couple was working on their Fragment(s) vases, one of their craftsmen observed and commented, “Oh! Your vases are broken! How can we fix this?” After Julie and Jesse explained the decay and poetic philosophy of the work, he fell in love with the pieces. “With our craftsmen, even though our level of Chinese is still poor and their

Designers - Julie Progin & Jesse McLin

English is not very good, ceramic is our common language. Even though our backgrounds, the way we work, and our cultures are very different, it’s always a very rich exchange with a great outcome each time,” says Jesse. u

N 2 2 E D U T I T A L

INSPIRATIONS

“

Latitude 22N seeks to make timeless and beautifully made products that should be kept and handed down to the next generation. Most products today have a built in life expectancy because of technology or trends. We try to ignore all of it and work the opposite way.”

variety of inspirations informs Latitude22N’s endless creative explorations. The aesthetics of the Song era-- timelessness, simplicity, and beauty-- instill the standard for their work. Characteristics of later artistic developments in Chinese pottery, such as monochrome ceramics, also provide inspiration: “These works are technically amazing and relate to the minimal and modernist movements of the 20th century that we love.”

hinese embroidery work is a recent inspiration, as well as jewelry from Chinese Opera. The intricate detail of this work is something Julie and Jesse seeks to reflect in their ceramics pieces. “We are idea collectors. We have a book of ideas that grows each week, and we also collect things, from seedpods we find on hikes to books, tin robots, or vintage pieces. We are inspired by our travels, what surrounds us, nature, architecture, history, books, objects. Each collection has a different story behind it, and right now our collection is focused on our travels in China,” they explain.

Latitude22n - Night Market Plate

heir four China-inspired collections are just the beginning. Julie and Jesse’s artistic and intellectual curiosity, and deep passion for their work and each other, hint at many diverse collections to come. Making of Song Collection 33 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

. 8

H y r a

s Yellow is Design by MaryH’ r signature color in hono e of the designer’s Chines is surname, Huynh, which ow the character for yell rt in Mandarin. Mary’s pa as of a movement of overse a Chinese returning to Chin n to find their inspiratio m and niche, and to reclai a little bit of the an s cestry that their parent tleft behind. She star ed her handbag brand, De , signed by MaryH, in 2010 d and has already establishe ur retail presence in fo d boutiques in Shanghai an d. clients around the worl

“

Maryh - Grape & Brown Bag

MaryH

I’m already onto the next idea. That was last month’s bag. Also, I want my customers to know that they have a one-of-a-kind piece. That no one else walking down the street will have their bag. So I owe it to them not to re-produce their bags.”

MaryH:

The Creation of a Chinese-Swedish Bag Brand

ary Huynh’s bags are best known for their saturated, eye-catching colors. “I love colors, I always have. When I was a little kid, I loved Benetton!” Of all colors, she has a special attachment to yellow: “My Chinese surname is the character for ‘yellow’, so it’s only natural that it’s my signature brand color,” she explains, smiling.

Mary’s part of a movement of overseas Chinese returning to China to find their inspiration and niche, and to reclaim a bit of the ancestry that their parents left behind. “My grandparents were Cantonese and Taiwanese immigrants in Vietnam, who moved to Sweden during the Vietnam War to find a peaceful existence,” Mary explains, “Simplicity, I learned from Scandinavian design. Color vibrancy, from my travels around Asia looking for new colors, textures, patterns, and contrast.” She started her handbag brand, Designed by MaryH, in 2010, and has already established retail presence in four boutiques in Shanghai and taken on clients around the world. But Mary did not set out to be a designer until she visited Shanghai in 2005. “I knew I had to come back. There was something about this city, like it was pulling me to discover something about myself.”

Designer - Mary Huynh

She moved to Shanghai, but discovered one problem. 35 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

“When I shopped around the city, I had major issues finding bags. I was looking for versatile bags, something that could be used in many ways.” Mary quickly filled sketchbooks with bag designs, vibrant handmade creations each functioning as a clutch, crossbody, and shoulder bag. “Then I went looking for production, a huge challenge. It takes about a year to develop a relationship and make different types of samples for all the different materials in each bag. I’ve visited so many I’ve lost count, at minimum ten suppliers for each type of material or part of a bag.” With unstoppable perseverance, Mary made her first prototype in 2007.

Nonstop Creation: 70 Bags in 2 Years

ince founding MaryH in 2009, Mary has designed over 70 bags. Two to three of each were produced for friends and family, and over 20 of these designs are available to Shanghai shoppers via boutiques. Even if some designs are popular, Mary is reluctant to repro-

“

I can’t create for mass consumption, it would just divert my creative energy from making original, truly unique bags.” duce them. “I’m already onto the next idea. That was last month’s bag. Also, I want my customers to know that they have a one-of-a-kind piece. That no one else walking down the street will have their bag. So I owe it to them not to re-produce their bags.” Larger brands have noticed MaryH and come to her for design services. “But I’d rather not do it at this stage. It’s not easy turning down the deals, but I can’t create for mass consumption, it would just divert my creative energy from making original, truly unique bags. So I have to say no.” This is unusual behavior for China, but Mary’s confidence in the path she has chosen is extremely convincing. She knows exactly what she wants, and the experience she wants to provide for her customers, and is not afraid to hold steady to her vision.

Maryh - Grape & Brown Bag 36 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

Reflections on key success factors for small business-owners

ary is just 29 but has a surprisingly mature business philosophy behind her brand. “It’s all about patience. These days, everyone wants to do things fast. For my brand, it’s about taking it slow and building strong foundations. You see new brands in Shanghai all the time opening stores. And then half a year later, the stores close.”

It takes a combination of patience and resilience for an independent business-owner to succeed. “There are so many challenges, but you just have to focus on your goal. There have always been distractions and disturbances, but I have never for a moment thought I would quit. As an entrepreneur, you just solve what needs to be fixed, every step of the way. It’s a combination of hard work and luck. The harder you work and the more you believe, the more luck seems to come by.” And what is Mary’s goal? “I want to have a store. Actually, to be honest, a house. Not in a mall, because I want my customers to experience something special. The house is yellow, has three to four floors, with a coffee room, workshop, and all different color rooms for different bags,” she says, eyes sparkling. “I have so many designs but the boutiques I work with, well, they can’t carry fifty different bags from me. But my house-store can have hundreds of styles.” MaryH’s yellow house will be a real experience in the beautifully vibrant mind of one of Shanghai’s emerging young designers. u

What happens when a Chinese graphic designer meets a Belgian architect ? explosion leadin A creativity of an iconic desig to the birth gn brand, Nono Muaks, and a whole of wildly innovativenew stream products.

tural ary and multicul in pl ci is rd te in The c des features dynami ak Mu no No of am te Claeys. n Fu and Benjamin sign talents Xili art and’s quirky, popbr d se ba gin ij Be The brant flection of the vi style is a true re The young designers. o tw e es th of energy and Benn from Chongqing story of how Xili is one formed Nono Muaks jamin of Brussels of serendipity…

Nono Muaks - Dead Horse Bag

“

In a way, I was born in an art school because my father is a traditional artist and professor. I learned a lot from my dad about Chinese phlosophy and the delicate aesthetic of Chinese art,”

Xilin Fu:

From Traditional Chinese Art to Pop-Glam Graphic Design

ilin grew up surrounded by Chinese art. “In a way, I was born in an art school because my father is a traditional artist and professor. I learned a lot from my dad about Chinese philosophy and the delicate aesthetic of Chinese art,” she explains. From age 15 to 23, she studied free art and graphic design in Chongqing at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. Xilin then moved to Germany to study Visual Arts at Kassel University, after which she had a brief twoyear period of teaching at Southwestern University’s design school in Chongqing before pursuing a Masters Degree from China’s Central Academy of Fine Arts. Following this extensive multicultural education, she worked as an in-house

Designers - Xilin Fu & Benjamin Claeys

graphic designer at 2x4 Inc. in both their Beijing and New York offices, and as a project director at JOYN:VISCOM Beijing office where she supervised exhibitions for leading largescale brands including Mercedes-Benz and major architecture offices. Xilin’s broad international expertise and educational background provided a strong foundation for the next step in her career: the co-founding of Nono Muaks.

Benjamin Claeys:

An Eclectic Creative Journey to Product Design

enjamin was born into an artistic family as well, but from a product standpoint; his was a family of antique collectors. His childhood toys were gramophones, typewriting machines, radios and other objects from the late industrial revolution to 1950s. “Antiques inspired my design philosophy-- technique with these historical objects was key to making a new design. Functionality infused within design; a radio’s form is dependent on its material as well as the nature of its function.” In his late teens, Benjamin’s good looks inadvertently led him far from antiques into the fashion world as a catwalk model for Bernhard Wilhelm. The catwalk gave him an idea of fashion behind the scenes, but he soon moved on to study landscape architecture in Brussels. After this, Benjamin spent six months in Berlin getting creative inspiration; says Benjamin, “I consider the influence of the Berlin artistic, music, and party scene of the city a definite influence on the vibrancy of my work.” He returned to Brussel’s to complete a Master’s Degree in Architecture at St. Lucas and began working for Carlos Arroyo Architects in Madrid soon after. Five years later, Benjamin was offered an opportunity to work in Beijing for the Office of Metropolitan Architecture, the company that designed the CCTV building. And in that shared office, he met Xilin.

Two Paths Cross

he fateful encounter was in 2007 in Beijing, where Benjamin was working as an architect for the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and Xilin was in the same office for

2x4. Their eyes met across the work floor, and they soon started to exchange ideas. Benjamin left for Brussels a year later, but the friends stayed in close contact. Six months later Benjamin was back, and the two founded Nono Muaks in 2010 as a celebration of their friendship and mutual passion for design. The name Nono Muaks was the perfect choice to reflect this collaboration, from design flirtation to full-fledged partnership. “Nono Muaks means “no no kiss”, with “muaks” derived from Spanish slang for a kiss. It’s all about the moment you want to kiss a person that play around and says ‘no no’ and then you get all your courage together and Muaks! That moNono Muaks - Bird Bag 39 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

ment is what Nono Muaks looks for in design. A moment of tension, interaction and expression!” explains Benjamin.

Developing the Brand and the Vision for the Future

ono Muaks’ first product was ‘Kick Eyes’ sunglasses. “It definitely wasn’t easy because we were using a new material Compressed felt for the glasses, so we had to do a lot of experimentation. It was also our first experience with production, and we had several bad experiences to start…a lot of headaches with large manufacturers not taking our orders,” Benjamin recalls. “We ended up working with small-scale family suppliers, which we really enjoy-- they pay more attention to small orders and are much nicer to cooperate with. Quality for small-scale production is still the biggest problem in China today. I always double if not triple check our suppliers and product quality!” The team’s perseverance paid off, as Kick Eyes received extensive publicity in international media as Designboom, Nylonmag, Vogue and many others.

Nono Muaks - Snow Hair

Nono Muaks now has 12 products and aspires to have its own concept store in China in the next 3 years. The team also hopes to have a store in Berlin; says Benjamin, “The creative energy of the city would be perfect for us!” u

Nono Muaks - Kick Eyes Glass Nono Muaks - Bird Bag 40 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

g n a h Z e i j u o h Z . 0 1

Zhoujie Zhang Zhoujie Zhang’s fantastical furniture brings to mind digitization and galactic travels. It’s near impossible to imagine that these futuristic designs came from a boy trained in classical arts in rural village of Ningbo, China.

Growing Up Without Design When Zhang Zhoujie grew up, he had never heard of design. His father was a calligrapher and taught Zhoujie to paint the day-to-day scenery of rural China. But Zhoujie always thought he was missing something. “I had this feeling that there were unknown forms of artistic expression beyond my village,” he explains. He pursued a degree in product design in China, “but everything was too commercial, without feelings, and without the human users in mind,” Zhoujie comments. He started looking for inspiration internationally and discovered products, design and art from of London. “I couldn’t get my head around the designs I was seeing, and I needed to explore what these were all about,” says Zhoujie, and so he moved to London.

Designer - Zhoujie Zhang

He returned to China inspired, and set up his own studio. Zhoujie then began producing highly polished metal furniture, using innovative digital modeling methods. Zhoujie’s furniture is a result of his deep-rooted Chinese culture, fused with a methodology he learned during his

time in London. “I grew up in a very traditional rural family,” says Zhoujie “I realized the important value of our culture. But I didn’t know how to express my ideas with objects – London gave me the techniques behind me designs.” Having only graduated in 2010 from St. Martin’s College of Art and Design in Industrial Design, Zhoujie has already been featured in magazines all across China with his furniture range. “My first collection of limited edition chairs sold out within an hour of my first exhibition at 100%Design London. I now have a waitlist of orders through 2012, I couldn’t have imagined this response for my work,” says Zhoujie. He says this would not have been possible without his experience abroad. “When I was in China I still thought designers should just be making cheap low cost mindless things which are easy to manufacture – London made me think outside the box. I was designing to survive before, designing to make money for corporations, I didn’t want to do this for the rest of my life.” Growing up during the opening of China to the world, Zhoujie began to discover design, but still did not entirely understand it. “I asked myself ‘Why are they doing it like this?’ For me I wanted to understand why, the reason behind it.” He believes London has defined him, but it is Chinese culture which really drives him forward.

Major Production Challenges Since displaying his work at his 2010 graduation show, Zhoujie has come a long way. His graduate show simply displayed renderings and models, “Nothing you could sit on, and nothing tactile,” he describes, “But the interest was huge for my concepts – I could not wait to get back to China to manufacture them.” This is where

Zhoujie encountered his first major stumbling block. Thinking it was easy to manufacture in the world’s factory, he visited numerous facilities, only to find that is was impossible for factories to produce the complex objects he dreamed of bringing to reality. “My pieces just had too many angles. I finally found a very small scale family run factory and just said ‘help me fold one edge and I will give you some money – however much you want’. It took 5 days to fold hundreds of angles – but I finished one chair.” This gave Zhoujie the encouragement he needed, and proof that he could do it. However, due to the poor quality angles produced, he decided to bring production in-house. He spent 18 months learning welding, cutting,

polishing and manufacturing. With this step-by-step knowledge of the production process, he gained an intimate understanding of the manufacturing process. “It was really useful to do production myself and has seri

“My first collection of limited edition chairs sold out within an hour of my first exhibition at 100%Design London. I now have a waitlist of orders through 2012, I couldn’t have imagined this response for my work.”

43 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

ously influenced my design process – the two have for too long been seen as separate in China,” Zhoujie explains. This experience drives his quick rise to fame in China: “In China not many people design like this. This is why so many Chinese magazines and designers are interested in my work, because its unconventional for China.”

Sharing a New Design Philosophy with Young Chinese Designers For Zhoujie, this is just the start. Next on the agenda is developing furniture with different surface treatments. As part of the ‘digital generation’, he sees a bright future for design in China, but believes designers need to be more confident to start out on their own and do what they feel passionate about. “The manufacturing base is there to support young designers, they just need to experiment,” he says enthusiastically. With this in mind, Zhoujie supports young designers from universities in Shanghai by involving them in the manufacturing process, sharing valuable practical skills along with the creative ideas that young product designers in China crave most.

He spent 18 months learning welding, cutting,

polishing and manufacturing... says Zhoujie, “In China not many people design like this. This is why so many Chinese magazines and designers are interested in my work, because its unconventional for China.”

44 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

Thank you— W

e’ve been overwhelmed by the support of our Shanghai community and friends around the world.

A special thank you to blogger Elliot Richards for his brilliant writing and interviews of NewChi and Zhoujie Zhang. We’re huge fans of his blog about Chinese design, eightsix.co. A huge thank you to graphic designer and musician Michael Cignarale for his countless hours of visual design work on this magazine and our website. His aesthetic talent has taken BUNDSHOP from white&black to full technicolor vibrancy. And without his music and weird dance moves we would surely lose 80% of our energy. Hugs of appreciation to our extended BUNDSHOP team: INTERSTEPS team— Our brilliant programmers, designers of BUNDSHOP.COM, Bangkok Jamie Thalman and Julien Lasseur—Videography and Film Production team, Los Angeles Stephany Zoo—Marketing Cofounder and Networking Queen Extraordinaire, Shanghai Sweta Patel—Online and Social Media Marketing Consultant, San Diego Matthew Cheung— Marketing Intern and Aspiring Entrepreneur, California Audrey Miyasako—Marketing Intern, Virginia Sebastian Li and Ivy Jiang—Designer-Discovery Interns, Shanghai Ayi—Our cleaning lady who keeps our office in some semblance of order who still has no idea why we spend 20 hours a day on our computers on the weekends To our ADVISORS, we can’t begin to express our deep appreciation. You are BUNDSHOP’s guardian angels. David Wiseman, Software Client Lead at IBM, DC- For countless hours of Skyping, meetings, reviewing our notes, financial models, dozens of business plans, for all the tiny details [ex: reminders to bring our passports to the airport], and for the unwavering support. Thomas Sevcik, Founder of think-tank Arthesia, Berlin- For flying from Berlin to Shanghai just to have power-branding and consulting brunches with us. Each meeting with you revitalizes our vision and sparks a dozen new ideas. Thomas Yih, General Counsel at Shanda Games, Shanghai- For drafting and endlessly revising our contracts to make sure we stay out of trouble with Chinese and US law. Adam Benzion, consumer electronics Tycoon and Entrepreneur, Seattle- For helping us develop our marketing strategy, for teaching us all the tricks you’ve learned from your successful businesses, for the surprise emails and constant words of encouragement. For pushing us to launch fast and focus on the product. Cortney Smith, Founder at Asian Prosource, Las Vegas- For logistics, manufacturing, sourcing guidance and your vibrant, creative mind. For the generosity of your spirit and sharing all of your 20 years of China expertise and resources with us. Greg Perez, Senior Designer at IDEO, Shanghai- For the brainstorming sessions, design layout reviews, your belief in our vision from the first time you heard us speak at Techyizu, for the friendship, drinks, and unwavering belief in BUNDSHOP and Chinese creativity. Randy Chee, Managing Director at About Marketing, Hong Kong- For constantly seeking every opportunity and connection for our team, for always managing to fill in the holes when we face challenges. 45 / BUNDSHOP.COM / COLLECTION I

S.C- For making all of this possible. Thank you to our FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS, and FAMILIES. A few personal callouts here, but thanks to so many more that we could fill an entire magazine just with your names. Christoph Zrenner, Founder and Director at Wildfire Ltd- For entrepreneurial inspiration and strength, startup advice, and believing in us from that fateful day we met 1.5 years ago in this incredible city. Jerry Wu, Director of JLT Capital; Jonathan Seah, Managing Partner at Living Ventures; Steve Chu, Founding partner of SIG Capital and CFO of GB Clean Energy- for a power-house of enthusiastic support and advice, constant dinners and introductions. You’ve helped us to re-evaluate our position on the entrepreneur v. financiers divide—you beautiful souls give the investment community a good name. Prem Varatharajan, Consumer Insight Planner at Saatchi&Saatchi- For early-stage listening, advice, and market research support. Lynnette Chan, Creative Director of RÉNNOVATE design consultancy- For nonstop creative ideas for promoting BUNDSHOP and helping us create the first BUNDSHOP logo! Jeremy Kode, General Manager at David Laris Creates – For hosting our BUNDSHOP get-togethers at Yucca and all the delicious happy hour drinks. Calvin Chin, Co-founder and CEO at Transist Impact Labs Kevin Chen, Co-founder at Italki.com Jenny Von Holtermann, CEO at Idea Apparel Trading Co Duri Chitayat, Co-Founder at Groopti.com Nigel Reading, Design Director, Asynsis Architecture + Design Cengiz Orhan and Jo Yeeles-Sadones, founders of !Strictly Designers United

For partnership opportunities, please contact Diana Tsai at Diana.Tsai@bundshop.com For press inquiries, please contact press@bundshop.com Copyright Info All rights are reserved to BUNDSHOP, LLC. No part of this emagazine may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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