DESIGN | Nicely Made in China

DANNY FANG – PRODUCT DESIGN

décembre 11th, 2010 Posted in CITIES, DESIGN, FURNITURE, HONG KONG

déc, 11 2010

: Dutch designer Danny Fang has been working in Hong Kong since 2006.

: White and brown gradient low seater from the Gradient collection made of polyethylene.

: The Geppetto chair made of polycarbonate evokes the Ming chair in its simplicity.

: Danny Fang installing his own version of the iconic Hong Kong butcher’s lamp for the Butchers Deluxe charity.

This week Nicely Made in China’s (NMiC) delivery brings us back to Hong Kong, a city which could well be dubbed ‘the city of design’ as it is literally teeming with interesting designers.Danny Fang, as his name does not suggest, is Dutch. Danny’s great grandfather was Chinese, although Danny grew up in Amsterdam and graduated from the Eindhoven Design Academy in The Netherlands in 1998. He decided to move to Hong Kong in 2006 after spending 6 years at the studio of the renowned Marcel Wanders. In answering NMiC questions, he talked about good design, employee shortage in the Pearl river delta and Western misconceptions about China. Read the rest of this entry »

DESIGN, hong kong

LATITUDE / PORCELAIN

novembre 20th, 2010 Posted in CITIES, CRAFTS, DESIGN, HANDMADE, HONG KONG, INTERIOR DECORATION, PORCELAIN

nov, 20 2010

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: Latitude team: Hong Kong-born Julie Progin and her American husband Jesse McLin.

: Jesse McLin making a unique piece in Latitude’s Hong Kong studio.

: Song collection: hand turned and hand carved porcelain dinnerware collection with celadon glaze.

: Mr. Huang, master model and mold maker in Jingdezhen working on one of our new prototypes.

This week Nicely Made in China (NMiC) presents a couple who has decided to take on one of China’s traditional crafts – porcelain. Born into a Hong Kong-based Swiss family, Julie Progin and her American husband Jesse McLin, have recently created Latitude Design Studio, a young and promising company. In a double interview they tell NMiC about setting up and working with an artisan community in Jingdezhen. Read the rest of this entry »

CRAFTS, handmade, hong kong, porcelain

DESIGN MVW

novembre 5th, 2010 Posted in ARCHITECTURE, CITIES, DESIGN, INTERIOR DECORATION, SHANGHAI

nov, 05 2010

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: A Franco-Chinese team: Xu Ming -interior architect/designer- and architect Virginie Moriette.

: The Ji table CT 01 by DESIGN MVW.

: Very Nicely Made in China bookshelf Wen ST 03 + Armchair Louis Ming + Carpet He RG bushou.

: Table, stools and lighting by DESIGN MVW.

: Bookshelves Wen ST 18 by DESIGN MVW- Shui Shan – wood- under construction.

: A Chinese carpenter at work on a DESIGN MVW project.

: The console Wen CS 07 by DESIGN MVW.

: The Qipao Chair by DESIGN MVW.

For this week’s article Nicely Made in China (NMiC) stays in Shanghai to introduce a Franco-Chinese couple: Virginie Moriette, a French architect who graduated from l’Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Architecture de Paris la Villette and her husband Xu Ming, a designer/interior architect who graduated from E.S.A.G Penninghen in Paris. They run their own company Design MVW based in Shanghai. NMiC interviewed Virginie who talks about what defines life in Shanghai in 2010: high energy, harmony, nature and the Shanghai urban environment. Read the rest of this entry »

architecture, DESIGN, Shanghai

SEAN DIX / ARCHITECT & DESIGNER

octobre 15th, 2010 Posted in ARCHITECTURE, CITIES, DESIGN, FURNITURE, HONG KONG, INTERIOR DECORATION

oct, 15 2010

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: Hong Kong-based architect-designer Sean Dix in his Sheung Wan office with Keikko one of his studio designer.

: « Copine » chair from the Sean Dix Collection.

: Steelwood armchair from the Sean Dix Collection.

: « Factory » stool from the Sean Dix Collection.

: « Forte » table wood from the Sean Dix Collection.

: A very Nicely Made in China sofa: the « Dowel » sofa from the Sean Dix Collection.

: American designer Sean Dix photographed in his Sheung Wan office, Hong Kong.

: American designer Sean Dix photographed in his Sheung Wan, Hong Kong office sitting on a chair he designed.

Design, among other things, is increasingly part of our daily lives. Having said that, it has been a while since Nicely Made in China (NMiC) presented a designer. So, this week NMiC is happy to introduce Hong Kong-based American architect-designer Sean Dix. After years spent in Fiji, Micronesia and the Philippines (in his youth) and later, many years spent working in Europe (Milan), Sean decided that Asia was the place to be. In 2008 he landed at Chek Lap Kok with family in tow. He recently spoke with NMiC, discussing his influences and what it is like to work in this part of the world. Read the rest of this entry »

architecture, DESIGN, hong kong

MALILIAN-FURNITURE DESIGN

juillet 9th, 2010 Posted in BEIJING, CITIES, CRAFTS, DESIGN, FURNITURE, INTERIOR DECORATION

juil, 09 2010

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: Marianne Friese poses on one of her creations: a sofa – Gobelins inspired with Chinese influence.

: A very Nicely Made in China armchair by Malilian. (Ph.Hans Schlupp)

: Every single cushion is inspected through and through by Marianne Friese in person.

: Marianne Friese and Ms Zhang check one last time the double piping Ms Zhang sew by hand.

: Cushions undergo a thorough inspection before they are delivered to the customers.

: Marianne Friese inspects every aspect of the newly made armchair before delivering it herself to its new home.

: Malilian’s creations leave the Beijing upholsterer’s workshop to go to their new homes.

: Marianne Friese’s Beijing home which doubles as a showroom. (Ph.Hans Schlupp)

Nicely Made in China today presents a non-traditional furniture designer: Marianne Friese, owner and designer of Malilian. German by birth Marianne arrived in China in 2001. Since 1988 she has been leading two lives: consultant and communications specialist 12 hours a day she turns into a sofa designer the other 12. NMiC caught her in the sweltering warehouse of the Beijing master upholsterer she works with where she was checking the quality of her latest creations before delivering them personally to their new homes.

Marianne, how did this all begin?

My first sofa was made in 1988 in Los Angeles where I was living. I wanted to buy one for my home and could not find anything I liked. A friend introduced me to a Mexican Read the rest of this entry »

beijing, decoration, furniture

EVERARD+WANG – JEWELLERY

juin 19th, 2010 Posted in BEIJING, CITIES, CRAFTS, DESIGN, FASHION, JEWELLERY

juin, 19 2010

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: Wang Lei, Everard&Wang designer with director Ariel Welby-Everard.

: Wang Lei, Everard&Wang designer in her workshop working on a new concept.

: The Mountains and Water silver plated cuff bracelet with an agate.

: Gold leaf and black leaf earrings of the Silk Road Flowers collection.

: Wang Lei is wearing an avant-garde necklace made of plastic from the Spin collection.

: Wang Lei in her workshop works on her next nicely made in China piece of jewellery.

: A bracelet from the Mountains and Water collection.

: Wang Lei in her workshop works on her next nicely made in China piece of jewellery.

Jewellery is the Nicely Made in China product of the week. Ariel Welby-Everard, ex-insurer from London and Wang Lei, ex-dancer from Wuhan are a team in life as well as in business and have now created their company Everard+Wang. In a two-voice interview they tell NMiC all about making jewellery in Beijing.

Read the rest of this entry »

accessories, beijing, JEWELLERY

BLUE SHANGHAI WHITE

juin 12th, 2010 Posted in CITIES, CRAFTS, FURNITURE, HANDMADE, INTERIOR DECORATION, PORCELAIN, SHANGHAI

juin, 12 2010

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: Hai Chen owner of Blue Shanghai White and its main designer.(NMiC would like to thank Element Fresh Sanlitun for letting us use their terrace)

: A selection of BSW nicely made in China teapots and vases.

: Porcelain and wood screens.

: Rocking horses made of porcelain by Blue Shanghai White.

: BSW shop on Fuzhou road near the Bund.

: An example of alliance of porcelain and wood to create unusual chairs.

: An example of alliance of porcelain and wood to create unusual chairs.

The nicely made in China product of the week is as old as China itself. Chinese ceramics, since it is ceramics and porcelain we’ll be talking about, are back in fashion again. Hai Chen, Blue Shanghai White owner and main designer grants NMiC an interview.

Hai Chen, how did you become a ceramist and when did you start Blue Shanghai White?

I studied fine arts and ceramics from 1987 to 1991 at the Beijing Central Academy of Fine Arts and at Beijing Central Academy of Fine Arts & Design from 1992 until 1996. I created my company in 2003.

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CERAMIC, handmade, porcelain, Shanghai

CHOCOLATE-DESIGN AGENCY

mai 22nd, 2010 Posted in CITIES, DESIGN, SHENZHEN

mai, 22 2010

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: A Chocolate designed Nicely Made in China Philips pink mobile phone.

: T&W 3G USB keys designed by Shenzhen-based Chocolate agency.

: The ebook seen by Chocolate for Aiboox.

: Chocolate designed LG blue tooth headphone.

: A T&W router nicely designed by the Chocolate agency.

: A nicely made in China design for a T&W camera.

: Valérie Nomain (in red), Chocolate designer in chief with her 4 design managers in Chocolate Shenzhen studio.

: Chocolate studios in Shenzhen.

This week Nicely Made in China introduces a new subject: consumer electronics design. What was once thought to be not so important is now a growing business. In order to understand what’s going on, NMiC turned to Shenzhen-based Valérie Nomain. Chocolate design director and general manager accepted to share her thoughts on the matter with us.

Valérie, Chocolate is one of the 6000 design agencies – architecture, web and industrial – that have sprouted up in the last few years in the Shenzhen area in Guangdong province. How did you start?

A few years ago I was working in China for Alcatel mobile phones marketing department and my real passion was design. In 2006 I decided to follow that passion Read the rest of this entry »

DESIGN, shenzhen