THE MAGAZINE OF THE HONG KONG DESIGN INSTITUTE ISSUE NINE 2014 NEXT SEIZE THE DAY SMALLMIRACLES FRESH VISIONS FROM YOUNG DESIGNERS CAPABILITY TOWN ANGEL’S SHARE SOCIAL CREATIVITY SUPPORTING A NEW FORISSUE SENIOR NINE 2014 | SIGN CITIZENS GENERATION OF STARS2 ELEGANCE IS ISSUE NINE USUALLY CONFUSED WITH SUPERFICIALITY, FASHION, LACK OF DEPTH. THIS IS A SERIOUS MISTAKE: HUMAN BEINGS NEED TO HAVE ELEGANCE BECAUSE THIS WORD IS SYNONYMOUS ideals of grace” especially when craftsmanship was WITH GOOD TASTE, involved. This makes “design” and “elegance” a pair of close relatives who should properly be regarded AMIABILITY, EQUILIBRIUM as members of the same family, with the same bloodline. A design that has no elegance is unlikely AND HARMONY. The Italian Modernist designer Massimo to have much impact, and to say that something Vignelli, who died earlier this year aged 83 was elegant has no design values is an offence against PAULO COELHO a prolific creator who applied simple geometric logic. The stories in SIGNED IX explore the power forms to an astonishing range of design problems. that design and elegance have when they work in He was responsible for the New York City subway tandem. In Seize The Day the work of graduates map, he made an acclaimed documentary called from HKDI’s programmes are showcased and the Helvetica, and he designed furniture, invented new pieces that most powerfully strike the eye are those forms of packaging and worked as an architect. that have the discipline and intelligence that elegant Vignelli is celebrated for the expression, “If you design requires. In Picture This and Moving Images can design one thing, you can design everything,” we see how the visual arts rely upon an elegant but equally intriguing is his belief that “There is selection of angle and editing to produce the most no design without discipline. There is no discipline powerful photographs and films. In Capability Town without intelligence.” This statement is a manifesto we see how Patricia Moore uses design to create for elegant design, or the belief that the forms and elegant solutions to make the lives of elders more products we create should avoid superfluous artistry comfortable and productive; Angel’s Share tells the and have an empathetic regard for humanity. Thus story of the Muses Foundation and the elegant we have chosen “elegance” as the theme for this simplicity of its mission to support young design ninth edition of SIGNED, in order to celebrate talents that might otherwise miss their chance what design can achieve when it’s restrained and to shine. Everywhere in this edition design and meticulous. These days the word “elegance” is most elegance are combined. Design and elegance flow often associated with celebrities and fashion models, together like drops of water in a river, one where but its roots are much more meaningful. The word the currents of culture combine to make new forms, emerged in the 15th century as a derivative from the elevating and refreshing humanity. As Vignelli French “élégant”, which had its roots in the Latin observed the seeds of one design has the fruits of terms elegantem meaning “choice, fine, or tasteful,” many. And thus do designers make the world a and eligere meaning “select with care”. Its use in the better place. 16th and 17th centuries suggests that the word was associated with activities that required “training DANIEL JEFFREYS and cultivation through the study of models or Editor-In-Chief 02 cSIGN | ISSUE NINE 2014 ISSUE NINE 2014 | SIGN 03 6 4 1 1 0 6 8 9 7 1 1 1 0 2 3 5 4 6 1 7 8 9 0 02 03 0 05 0 07 08 09 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 2 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 3 3 32 33 34 35 3 3 3 3 40 4 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 5 52 06 FEATURE 12 EVENT SEIZE THE DAY PICTURE THIS Fledging talent Photographers Leong Ka unveiled at the HKDI’s Tai and Tse Ming Chong NEW VOICES shows in dialogue 18 FEATURE 24 EDITORIAL 28 FEATURE MOVING IMAGES SO COOL, SO HOT THE MESSAGE IS Pang Ho-cheung and Hong Kong’s TRANSMEDIA Fruit Chan dissect Hong entrepreneurial Technology is changing Kong’s film industry designers make Sheung the way that designers Wan their new home communicate, creating a whole new industry 34 EVENT 38 FEATURE 42 FEATURE STORIES THAT CAPABILITY DISTANCE SELL TOWN LEARNING The A to Z of Patricia Moore on The Travelling successful branding using design to Fashionistas bring their empower show to HKDI 46 FEATURE 50 EVENT ANGEL’S SHARE TALENT The work of the Muses CARNIVAL Foundation is having A radiant platform a profound impact for vocational on the lives of some training young talents T HE MAGA ZINE OF T HE HONG KONG DESIGN INSTITUTE The Hong Kong Design Institute is a member institution of the Vocational Training EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DANIEL JEFFREYS ISSUE NINE 2014 Council. For more information about HKDI, please check our website on MANAGING EDITOR SUMMER CAO CREATIVE DIRECTOR VANESSA KO www.hkdi.edu.hk, or email us at [email protected] COVER IMAGE EDITORIAL BOARD LESLIE LU • AMY CHAN • TERENCE WONG • BEN MAU • LIZ MCLAFFERTY • DANIEL CHAN • A BROOCH DESIGNED BY Signed is produced on behalf of the Hong Kong Design Institute by deluxewords, WONG PAK KAY • NIKI SHEK • ANNIE LAM NEXT SEIZE a subsidiary of Deluxe Holdings Limited, Winning Centre, 46-48 Wyndham Street, DAY HKDI STUDENT WONG KA YEE, SMALLMIRACLES FRESH VISIONS PHOTOGRAPHY VANESSA KO EDITOR LIBBY ZENG CONTRIBUTORS JEREMY PAYNE AND PUI WONG FROM YOUNG DESIGNERS INSPIRED BY THE JAPANESE Hong Kong. Advertising sales enquiries to +852 2868 0671. Printed in Hong Kong CAPABILITY TOWN ANGEL’S SHARE SOCIAL CREATIVITY SUPPORTING A NEW FORISSUE SENIO NINE 2014 | SIGNR CITIZENS GENERATION OF STARS1 COPY EDITOR RIK GLAUERT PUBLISHER DELUXEWORDS TEA CEREMONY. by Hang Sing Printing. Origination by deluxewords. 04 SIGN | ISSUE NINE 2014 ISSUE NINE 2014 | SIGN 05 FEATURE THEDAY We have entered a new era, when taste and appetites are in flux and opportunities can evaporate in seconds. To triumph, designers need to think with creativity, deploy craft and technique, step forward with passion, and diligently observe the market. The work unveiled at the HKDI’s annual design show had all these elements. LIBBY ZENG reports. ALL IMAGES: HKDI ALL IMAGES: 06 SIGN | ISSUE NINE 2014 ISSUE NINE 2014 | SIGN 07 FEATURE WE WANT TO HAVE DESIGNERS WITH THESE SKILLS AND MINDSETS TO SATISFY MARKET DEMAND IN HONG olourful lights danced to the rhythm of with the inauguration of an Accessories Show, which KONG. stirring music as professional models walked introduced intriguing works from the first cohort of the runway to showcase exquisitely stylish graduates of Accessories Design. Every student was Cdesigns. An ecstatic audience held their tasked with designing full sets of works including breath, while still managing to take photos with cameras garments, hats, bags and shoes to create a symphony of and cell phones. It sounds like an international show in fashion and style. one of the four fashion capitals, but in a way, this was This new course was created to meet a new trend in someting better. When the young student designers took the fashion industry, in which clothing and accessory their richly deserved curtain call this June after “New collections are inspired by the same theme. “We want to Fashion Force”, the annual design show of HKDI’s have designers with these skills and mindsets to satisfy Fashion and Image Design the market demand in Hong Kong,” Department (FID), the audience said To. could believe they had seen the HKDI has always celebrated a talents who will help Asia take market-focused passion for creativity its place as a leading force in the and innovation. The first cohort of global fashion industry. graduates from Architectural Design “The students’ work was truly provides an illustration. Comix brilliant and a testament to the Home Base, a beautifully revitalised determination and dedication historic building in Wanchai was of the fashion team to provide chosen as the venue for FORM/ quality education,” says SHIFT, an exhibition that displayed work was the students’ positive attitude toward learning from industry Elizabeth McLafferty, Head of the outstanding student designs. professionals. the Department of Fashion and Weaving creative imagination “We invited experienced architects to conduct a public review of the Image Design. and solid skills into unique Hong projects during the exhibition. I was impressed by the active engagement of PREVIOUS PAGE FASHION COLLECTIONS FROM Thirty-two students Kong streets and spaces including our students during and after the review,” says Leung. HKDI’S “NEW FASHION FORCE 2014” presented their exceptional Hollywood Road, Pound Lane, Po If the Architecture Design Graduation Exhibition was a sunrise, OPPOSITE PAGE TOP WORKS IN work to the public this year, Hing Fong area and the coastline indicating a bright future for the architectural education and design scene HKDI’S ARCHITECTURE DESIGN GRADUATION EXHIBITION with a special emphasis on of To Kwa Wan, the students of Hong Kong, then the well-crafted works in the iConique - Jewellery OPPOSITE PAGE LOWER texture, as part of “Emerging succeeded in unfolding the city’s and Lifestyle Design Show were a sparkling constellation, imbuing a sultry LIEW WAN SING’S DESIGN FROM “ICONIQUE - JEWELLERY AND Design Talents 2014: New fascinating stories with design summer’s eve with twinkling romance and elegance. LIFESTYLE DESIGN SHOW” Voices”, which featured projects projects that included underground “The show has been a complete success. The fabulous and exciting THIS PAGE TOP TWO WORKS from students of HKDI and IVE (Lee Wai Lee).