We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Elinn Fang ("EF").
A differentiated spirit from a young age, jewellery artist Elinn Fang accepted the wanderings of her unconscious as the wellspring of her imagination. She is a diver in the realms of experience, immersing herself in transient escapism, joining dream and fantasy with absolute reality. Through sketching, carving, molding, selecting, and setting, she surfaces surrealist beauty in her jewelry creation. To Elinn, the inner world of every piece carries an original spirit of its own. She hand-crafts each piece from her collection, invigorated by the knowledge that there is absolutely no possibility to ever create the same.
Elinn Fang Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Elinn Fang.
Elinn Fang Design - Midnight Tide Necklace
Designer Interview of Elinn Fang:
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?
EF : Growing up as a child I had always been inspired by lines, shapes and textures ; i was then a big fan of beading necklaces. I was constantly immersed in my own realm, isolated from the outside world. My parents were creative and my mother in particular upheld an aesthetic that was quite ahead of her time and was very gifted artistically. At the age of 12 years old, I Accompanied my mother to a high-jewellery exhibition filled with masterpieces by the jewellery mansion VanCleef & Arpels. I knew there and then that was going to be my lifelong passion, and I haven’t been able to look away since.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EF : Bijoux d’Elinn was founded in 2018 in England and followed me to Shanghai, China - where home is for me. The Atelier mostly works with private clients and companies in the co-creation of bespoke fine jewellery pieces to the highest standards that are truly one of a kind.
DI: What is "design" for you?
EF : Design is a way of life that can shift many. It is a force that is utterly transformative to everyone.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EF : I very much like to work closely with clients and have been entrust with a lot of creative freedom that allows the work to be formed in the most natural and unclipped way. When the design transcends us as solitary beings and almost creates a sense of unity in itself, it’s a truly magical experience.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
EF : I honestly don’t think I have a favourite. They are all a fragment of me that once was and a reflection of that time. I am my art.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
EF : A tea-knife for a eco-water-solution enterprise.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EF : My favourite material is certainly metal. Gold / titanium / silver / aluminium - they each have their own unique qualities and manner and has in time became my best friends.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
EF : At night. In nature. Away from noises.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EF : Creativity / visual cues / wearability / functionality / novice / physical quality & more… It has to be a well-balanced.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
EF : A flow. A deep dive.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EF : It can be a very mixed experience. At times as if a child has been born with hardship. A sense of relief. A euphoric feeling.
DI: What makes a design successful?
EF : If it lives up to your own goals and standards.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EF : Overall I look at whether or not it’s a fresh idea and how well it has been realised.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EF : Sustainability Should always be in the minds of designers. True environmental changes can only happen only when It had been considered before the birth of the design, rather than after the production.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
EF : Even though it is going in the right direction, I feel a stagnate energy in the design field as we have been struggling to come up with fresh ideas to catch up with the Speed of the world now.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
EF : Goldsmith Hall, London, Uk
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EF : Nature and meditation are my two strongest sources of inspiration. Neither is definitive, either has endless possibilities.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
EF : Modern minimal art deco with a hint of romance. Full of details. Element of surprise. Pioneering in engineering.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
EF : I spent my life between China and Europe in the past two decades. Both Weston and eastern aesthetics influenced to me greatly and thus I was able to formed my own aesthetic - which is a co-op version of the two, a dance between ancient architectures, culture symbols and signature styles.
DI: How do you work with companies?
EF : On a case by case basis.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
EF : Communication and visual compatibility.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EF : Staying curious.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
EF : Curiosity and time management.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EF : It really depends. It can take as little as 4 weeks and as long as 24 months.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EF : I work with a team of expert technicians and artisans that are the best of the field.
DI: How can people contact you?
EF : Via email or instagram account: e.y.fang@icloud.com Miraculinn_