We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Xiaodong Liu ("XL").
Designer Donna LIU, who graduated from the China top-one university: Tsinghua University. After that, she took a master degree in Product Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Later on, she was invited to immigrate to Hong Kong via Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. With passion and enthusiasm on stylized product design, Donna has started a company and founded jewelry brand FARRA in 2010 to realize her design ambitions. Since then, the brand has effectively published favorable products every season. The affection of FARRA’s classical works always give people indelible impression and keep hauntingly in mind. Some of the products have been reported on newspapers and fashion magazines repeatedly, while the others were favored and pursued by foreign TV stars, which makes the Hong Kong Brand FARRA a famous name overseas. FARRA design is dedicated to artists handmade vintage-styled gemstone jewelry. For instance, the hand-etched findings are made collocation with candy-colored gemstones, expressing extraordinary fancy effective on rich layers. It can meet either splendid or romantic effect in various circumstances, thus favored by crowd of customers. As a strong belief of Donna, jewelry is beautiful treasure from God to human.” It can speak out for your-self, impress your own life philosophy to people and demonstrate your passionate love.
Xiaodong Liu Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Xiaodong Liu.
Designer Interview of Xiaodong 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?
XL : Being an elite designer/artist is my aim ever. When I enrolled the top university in China( major in ceramic design), my artistic life began. After that 4 years studies, I came to Hong Kong to study product design. And got masters' degree in 2005. After several years working, I created my own jewelry brand.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
XL : It is a Hong Kong designer brand company that was created on 2010. Our products are handmade gemstone jewelry with unique design. They are collected by Hong Kong Design Gallery from 2014, are shown in several shopping mall in Hong Kong.
DI: What is "design" for you?
XL : The quality of life. Make our life easy, comfortable, beauty and fun.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
XL : concept jewelry, inspirited products.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
XL : The one considering users, the one can correct living way, make people live healthy and positively.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
XL : Some logo and packaging design.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
XL : Gemstone, brass, patina colors, to make items in unique style, looks more philosophy.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
XL : The using method, the color, the imagination of the looking.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
XL : Enjoyably and exciting.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
XL : Exciting.
DI: What makes a design successful?
XL : Make target customers happy.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
XL : Designers should design products non pollute or reduce pollute. And create right thing to improve people's life.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
XL : The design is evolving depends on people 's living way.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
XL : The colorful nature.
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?
XL : Lovely color, vintage style, kindle the imagination, philosophy deep, joy customers
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?
XL : Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a developed and international district that includes western and eastern lift style.
DI: How do you work with companies?
XL : I make design 3-4 season each years, and bring my products to attend jewelry trade fair globally.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
XL : The people should have passion on it.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
XL : I always make theme first, think about the effect I want, and create products follow it.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
XL : Ceramic pot, ceramic vase, Sofa from Francfranc, my oil painting, my Chinese painting
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
XL : work began on 8:00 Am, reply E-mails, work on orders, eat lunch, design or do research at afternoon.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
XL : work with passion
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
XL : Fun, create beauty stuff.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
XL : High quality
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
XL : Aesthetic.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
XL : Photoshop
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
XL : Make the task in ordering.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
XL : one day to several months.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
XL : office ladies.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
XL : The one can let customers happy.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
XL : attend more trade fair. Present products to global .
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
XL : I create design by my self.
DI: How can people contact you?
XL : info@farra-gem.com