We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yilan Liu ("YL").
Yilan Liu, a Chinese jewelry designer, completed her MA degree in Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins in 2019. Yilan is interested in the potential of emotional experience between wearers and jewellery pieces. Her contemporary designs always discuss the relationship between wears and jewellery with playful interaction, encouraging self-exploration and reflecting a special perspective towards life.
Yilan Liu Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yilan Liu.
Yilan Liu Design - Ataraxia Jewelry Collection
Designer Interview of Yilan Liu:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
YL : Art was only my interest until I realized it would be my life career in high school. After one-year studying in university, I found jewelry design was so charming that I couldn't find other replacements. What is more important, jewelry is a perfect combination of art and design. It is logical, technical, but it is more emotional and expressive.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
YL : My studio was founded in 2019 after I graduated from Central Saint Martins with Master Degree. It combines jewelry design and jewelry production. And my jewelry brand, Yilan Jewelry, capturing the poetry of life from the perspective of art. I believe that contemporary Jewelry is an expression of personality. It is beautiful, but it is more about attitudes, the stories behind and life itself. To create delicate, unique and warm demi-fine jewelry is the consistent brand belief.
DI: What is "design" for you?
YL : Design needs to be useful as it is the meaning of design. However, in my perspective, function is only a part of design. Design needs to be meaningful as well as emotional. A good design should always be interesting and charming, improving life quality.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
YL : I prefer to design earrings. I am very into earrings as they are freer of form. I can express my ideas with my heart relatively.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
YL : A design lacks of its soul without research and sketch. We can always have a good idea, but it is not enough. To me, realizing ideas is more difficult and important than just come up with ideas.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
YL : Excited and passionate. Designing is not only my career, but also my interest.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
YL : Satisfied and proud. Every project is like my own baby and I'd love to try my best to make it perfect.
DI: What makes a design successful?
YL : Firstly and most importantly, it's the design idea. A good idea is the key to success. Secondly, it's the design process. Research, sketch, prototype and etc. are all necessary to realize and optimize the design. Efficient communication with the manufacture is also vital to ensure every detail.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
YL : A designer should make the world better not only with ideas to remind people but also pay attention to the process of manufacture. As a jewelry designer, I think about the impact on environment during production. I choose the factory that fits the sustainability idea which can minimize the pollution during manufacture.
DI: How can people contact you?
YL : You can contact me through my website www.yilanjewelry.com. Or by the official instagram Yilan Jewellery.