BEZ & OHO / HANDBAGS

août 12th, 2011 Posted in ACCESSORIES, CRAFTS, FASHION, HANDMADE

août, 12 2011

: Annalisa Ryle, Bez & Oho owner with one of the handbags she makes in her office in Hong Kong.

: Bella (L) and Annalisa (R) select the rice bags that will end up being stitched together to make Bez & Oho handbags.

: Mrs Yip one of the Bez & Oho seamstress in Hong Kong.

: Annalisa, Bez & Oho’s owner, in her studio showing one of her latest handbags.

Today Nicely Made in China (NMiC) shares with you a beautiful story and a great product. Annalisa Ryle arrived in Hong Kong 13 years ago via the volunteer route working with the St. Stephen’s Society – in fact her office is still on the charity’s premises in Hong Kong. 5 years ago she founded Bez & Oho (after the biblical characters Bezalel and Oholiab), a company which makes cool handbags out of recycled rice bags while providing jobs to vulnerable people. Read the rest of this entry »

accessories, handmade, hong kong

M. LAU ON HING / QIPAO TAILOR

août 4th, 2011 Posted in CRAFTS, FASHION, GARMENTS, HANDMADE, HONG KONG

août, 04 2011

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: Mr Lau On Hing the qipao maker in his workshop in Lan Kwai Fong in the heart of Hong Kong island.

: When Mr Lau makes a qipao with a double lining, it must be glued and then stitched together.

: Mr Lau shows one of his latest creation: a qipao made of silk and French lace from Calais.

: Mr Lau also makes jackets like this one made on Italian silk.

In the high-speed world that is China today, we at Nicely Made in China (NMiC) find it reassuring to discover that some things don’t change! NMiC recently met with Mr Lau, a qipao or cheongsam tailor, in his workshop in Hong Kong. A sprightly sexagenarian with a mischievous smile, he has for 50 years been hand-making exquisite qipao – a form of traditional Chinese dress. Originally from Shanghai, he came to Hong Kong aged 14 to learn the craft and is now one of the last remaining ‘Shanghai tailors’, as they’re known in Hong Kong, still working today. Read the rest of this entry »

CRAFTS, fashion, handmade, 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

SUREN HANDMADE / HANDBAGS

septembre 18th, 2010 Posted in ACCESSORIES, BEIJING, CITIES, CRAFTS, FASHION, HANDMADE, SHOES

sept, 18 2010

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: Mao Shu Hong and her husband Yang Bao Guang receive NMiC.

: Su Ren design studio.

: Yang shows an employee how to do things right.

: Mao and Yang check every little detail.

: Su Ren design studio where everything starts.

: The bag handles are finished by hand one by one.

: Quality control at Su Ren factory: each bag is inspected individually.

: This model (BS 092) was created in 2001 and is Su Ren best seller.

This week’s story is about a company barely known outside China even though it has been making high quality leather products for many years. NMiC would like to introduce the company “Suren” (pronounced « sue jhen »), together with Mao Shu Hong, general manager and her husband Yang Bao Guang, the head designer. In order to meet them NMiC took an hour’s drive north of Beijing on a gorgeous blue sky day (Beijingers will appreciate that detail). Ben O’Hara, Canadian TV’s Beijing correspondent came with us, to visit the couple’s design studio and small factory. Read the rest of this entry »

accessories, beijing, handmade

NORLHA SHAWLS

août 27th, 2010 Posted in CITIES, CRAFTS, FASHION, HANDMADE

août, 27 2010

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: Nicely Made in China: a Norlha shawl

: Yak in a spring pasture. Only the hair of the two year old is used to make shawls.

: The Norlha workshops opened in November 2007 in Ritoma in Gansu province.

: A local woman works on a wood loom in a workshop to produce a Nicely Made in China shawl.

: Two women with different patterned shawls that Norlha did for a French fashion house.

: Every Norlha shawl is hand made. The project allowed many local people to stay and work in their home province.

: The high plateau of Gansu province.

At an altitude of 3200m in Gansu province, the company Norlha produces the most exquisite shawls. These shawls, made mainly of yak wool (khullu), have become much sought after in shops from Paris to Shanghai. Nicely Made in China spoke to the owner, Kim Sciaky-Yeshi, to find out what makes them so special and successful.

Kim, when and how did you start this adventure?

I’ve always loved beautifully woven things and had once worked with someone who was making products out of camel’s wool. In my opinion the 3 most beautiful types of wool are that of goats, yaks and camels. I had heard that yak wool was a rare and noble material but nowadays almost forgotten. So in 2005 I decided to send my daughter Dechen and her brother Genam to Gannan Prefecture in Gansu to see what could be done there with yak wool. They bought over a ton of the raw fiber, which they had cleaned and sent by truck to Katmandu, via Lhasa. There, in my friend Christopher Giercke’s workshop, we had it spun and woven, to test the quality. It turned out that we had a wonderful product. Norlha was started in 2007.

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beijing, fashion, handmade, HANGZHOU

Mr. GAO ZHENMIN-LUTHIER

juillet 13th, 2010 Posted in BEIJING, CITIES, CRAFTS, HANDMADE, OTHER CITIES

juil, 13 2010

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: Mr Gao ZhenMin and his wife Wen YaXia in their workshop.

: Luthier Mr Gao ZhenMin in front of his folded double-bass inside the case.

: Ms Wen YaXia varnishing an instrument in the couple’s workshop.

: Mr Gao with a Sichuan maple soundboard ready to be mounted.

: Mr Gao shows his reserve of drying wood.

: A piece of maple that Mr Gao keeps for his next commission to use as a back of a double-bass.

: A very Nicely Made in China double-bass head with copper keys.

: A cello Nicely Made in China by Mr Gao in his Hebei workshop.

This week Nicely Made in China gives centre stage to Mr Gao ZhenMin, a luthier, owner of Huaming Bass. Mr Gao Zhenmin lives in Hebei and makes his speciality to build and repair double-basses and cellos with his wife, Ms Wen YaXia. NMiC paid him a call in his Hebei workshop where a collection of stringed instruments await his attention between fragrant Sichuan maple and alcohol-based home-made varnish.

When did you open your workshop?

In 2004, after working for 7 years at the oldest Beijing instruments-making factory where I was assembling, adjusting and testing the instruments. While working there I met a lot of music professors who told me there was a niche market in making instruments for high-end classical and jazz musicians. That’s how it started.

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beijing, CRAFTS, handmade

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