Crossing Cultures: A Visual Language of Objects
Images & Product Descriptions Provided by Respective Brands
As featured in the inaugural Design Annual 2022
Curated by the Fête Chinoise Editorial Team.
Forward written by Deborah Lau-Yu
ROCHE BOBOIS | HYAGO Lounge Chair
LEANNE FORD | West Cane Bar Cabinet
CALAMITYWARE | Flying Monkey
FOO HUNG CURIOS | Pendant
ANTHROPOLOGIE | Mark D. Sikes Modular Slipper Chair
MIDDLE KINGDOM | White Vase Set
In our inaugural Design Annual, we have hand selected a mélange of delightful choices, as well as some favourite jewellery and accessories that are crafted with excellence. Some moments are all about Chinese culture and others compliment the rich aesthetic with a neutral spirit. Some objects are visual reminders of our culture without being tied in its ethnicity of origin... enjoy a fun twist on blue and white porcelain! Layers of culturally-inspired visual style add depth and story to any space, making it a place that is uniquely yours.
GUCCI | Velvet Armchair With Embroidered Flowers
The armchair in plush teal velvet has a high-backed design that's reflective of a seashell design. Set on black metal legs, the main cushion is further enriched with a floral design that is embroidered and then hand-applied, a process that takes approximately 5 hours to complete.
ALL MODERN | Decatur Statement Geometric Pendant
Inspired by Bohemian and Asian décor, this bamboo pendant light features a frosted center hurricane light cover. Includes a golden cord and matte gold canopy.
OBAKKI | Specialty Hand Poured Beeswax Candle in Marigold
These hand poured floral candles are layered with love and inspiration - and have a charming story to tell. These candles are made completely by hand from 100% beeswax from Chiapas. And the rich smell of honey and burning wood fire wafts through the small Mexican town where Viviana has her workshop.
CALAMITYWARE | Flying Monkey
A troop of flying monkeys adds drama to mealtime. This traditional blue-willow-inspired design can be found on the first porcelain plate in the Calamityware collection.
ANTHROPOLOGIE | Crane Scissors
Crafted in Italy, this pair features a whimsical shape, beautiful gold detailing, and sharp shears designed for both detailed embroidery work, and easily slicing through ribbons and textiles.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS | Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier Watch
Inspired by Linnaeus’ Flower Clock, the Lady Arpels Heures Florale watches give a new dimension to Enchanting Nature, a theme dear to the Maison, by offering a poetic way of telling time. These timepieces reinterpret the Flower Clock, where time is told by counting the number of opened flowers. This animation shows a nature in movement, inspired by the cycle of flowers opening and closing depending on the time of the day.
CB2 | Ari Cement Black Jewelry Box
Transformed by dark, textured cement and fully finished in black, the jewelry box features continuous horizontal reeding with rounded edges. The smooth top opens to a velvet-lined interior — a softer, luxurious balance to the darker exterior.
DAVID YURMAN | Modern Renaissance Narrow Bracelet
Evolving a DY classic, this modern interpretation of our original Renaissance Cable bracelet has clean, simple lines and contemporary style.
FOO HUNG CURIOS | Pendant
This beautiful pendant can be found at Foo Hung Curios where curates an elevated and contemporary take on these typically traditional and mass produced objects, with a special focus on Chinese Canadian designers, artists and brands.
U + FURNITURE | Míng Yüè Cabinet
The highlight of the cabinet is the round shape in the centre, like the opening and closing of a Chinese dress, and the roundness of the moon.
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO | Studio Box Bag
Salvatore Ferragamo invites all to a fantastical adventure with its 2022 Chinese New Year Campaign that highlights the tiger as a symbol of passion, daring, auspiciousness and safety within Chinese culture. Designed by Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yuto, this special print inspired by traditional Chinese paintings was created for the Chinese New Year Special Capsule Collection, continuing the brand’s legacy of merging art and culture with fashion. Bringing a colourful twist to the Ferragamo Studio Box bag, the bright illustration features the tiger playing with other creatures such as a crane, an eagle, a deer, and a monkey in a vibrant Chinese garden setting.
CB2 | Viper Polished Brass Round Wall Mirror
Venomous mirror hosts a meeting of two serpents in typical Brett Beldock style. Rounded and crafted from casted unlacquered polished brass for that coveted vintage-like finish.
FOO HUNG CURIOS | Earrings
This pair of earrings with a Chinese character on can also be found at Foo Hung Curios.
CINDY CHAO | Phoenix Feather Brooch
Defying gravity and belief, Cindy Chao’s creations are astonishingly light yet every nook and cranny shimmers with precious gems. The Phoenix Feather brooch is on fire with 1,000 diamonds in 36 different colours, yet thanks to its titanium frame weighs a mere 78 grams.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS | Fontaine aux Oiseaux
The birds were designed in yellow gold before being adorned with brightly coloured stones. The male, recognizable for his crest that unfurls during the animation, also stands out for his back incrusted with lapis lazuli, his chest set with a gradation of blue and purple sapphires, emeralds and garnets, and his wings punctuated by sapphires. The female is recognizable for her turquoise plumage and her chest adorned with the gentle shades of purple and pink sapphires, garnets and rubies.
CARTIER | Panthere Jewelry Watch
The Panthere Cartier watch is timeless and iconic, a supple and elegant jewellery watch that has become a symbol of Cartier.
CINDY CHAO | The Art Jewel Greenovia Brooch
One of the latest creation to be specially unveiled in the 2018 Black Label Masterpiece Asian tour is the 2018 Black Label Masterpiece XVII “Greenovia Brooch”. It features an elegant yet whimsical 105.37-carat Cat’s eye chrysoberyl.
BUZAO | HALO
Chinese experimental design studio BUZAO’s HALO collection is inspired by the curved light frequencies often seen surrounding the moon or sun, which are also called halos. Similar to a rainbow, HALO’s pieces play with the eye through light reflections and perspective. Each time the angle of light source changes, a slightly different color gradient is created.
ROCHE BOBOIS | ELA Horloge Clock
Clock in walnut veneer on MDF base with marquetry effect, brass hands black finish.
SHANG XIA | Carbon Fiber Chair With Shiny Lacquering
Shang Xia presents this Da Tian Di chair, infusing modern design elements into traditional artisanship.
TIFFANY & CO. | Fantastical Brooch
“This fantastical brooch is an extraordinary showcase of Jean Schlumberger’s signature use of paillonné enamel.”
JY CALLIGRAPHY | River Strokes No. 03, The Rain
Jameson Yap has a distinctive style in calligraphy art. He invented a unique stroke style when writing Chinese calligraphy characters and turns them into works of art.In his one-of-a-kind, contemporary artworks, Yap brings together traditional calligraphy and modern abstract art.
JY GAO | Pearl River Earrings
The natural flow of pearls are beautiful when they are strung together in a necklace, and the creator, JY Gao, wanted to create the same flow in these earrings.
OBAKKI | Rainbow Sculpture
This organic, hand-woven rainbow sculpture is a stunning example of sustainable art. Handmade by weavers in Querétaro, Mexico, this collective of female artisans began with a mission to preserve knowledge about ancient textile techniques while caring for and respecting the environment.
MKT | Boone Side Chair
The Boone side chair features a beautiful black seat with a natural rattan seatback. A solid black oak wood frame completes this naturally edgy design.
sponsored by ferris wheel press
MKT | Byron Chair
An eye-catching centrepiece with an air of modern minimalism, our Byron chair boasts a sculptural silhouette supported by a delicate blackened steel frame.
ANTHROPOLOGIE | Mark D. Sikes Modular Slipper Chair
Construct an inviting, one-of-a-kind respite to accommodate your interior with this classic seat printed in colourful and eye-catching patterns.
MIDDLE KINGDOM | White Vase Set
Middle Kingdom celebrates Chinese porcelain aesthetics from the Song and Ming Dynasties, and interprets traditional designs into modern wares that create new classics.
TIFFANY & CO. | Bird on a Rock
Bird on a Rock brooch designed in gold and platinum. Birds are set with diamonds and pink-sapphire eyes, perched on tourmaline, morganite, and aquamarine stones.
ROBERT WUN | Rosary Boots in Black
Robert Wun’s Signature Rosary Stone Heels – made out of vegan leather body and metalic plating heels.
ROCHE BOBOIS | HYAGO Lounge Chair
Upholstered in Kori fabrics designed by Kenzo Takada on the exterior and Caresse velvet on the interior.
SOPHIA WEBSTER | Evangeline 85 Mid Heel
Sophia Webster’s Signature Angel wing sandal is now available in a mid-heel. This beautiful white leather sandal finished with rose gold 3D laser cut Angel Wing detail is perfect for the dance floor or for walking down the aisle.
TIFFANY & CO. | Tanzanite Brooch
As prices of ruby, sapphire and emerald continue to climb, coloured gemstone consumers are turning to some extraordinary lesser-known alternatives that both surprise and delight, one of which is tanzanite.
HONG WEI | Jing Chair
Jian Chair attempts to create poetic imagery of ‘in between the heaven and earth', for ancient Chinese describe the sky (where heaven is) as 'round' and earth 'square'. These two shapes could be easily perceived from the design. The lines at the back could be viewed as the shape of a bridge while the oval frame of the chair reminds one of the full moon, indicating that the heaven and the earth are connected in harmony.
SOPHIA WEBSTER | Clara Box Bag
This elegant clutch is crafted from black satin with complimentary gold brushed hardware. Finished with a detachable chain strap and intricately designed double butterfly closure, the perfect bag to make your favourite evening outfit shine!
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN | Curb Chain Ring
A chunky looking chained ring with polished finish.
LEANNE FORD | West Cane Bar Cabinet
It’s open, airy and unabashedly out of the ordinary, Leanne Ford’s West bar takes the traditional mid-century pairing of cane and wood for a statement-making spin.
FLORASIS | Eastern Beauty Dressing Box
This cosmetics box is something that ancient Chinese ladies would use to store cosmetics and beauty implements. At Florasis, they have reinvented its intricate design to present people with a unique gift box featuring the beauty of traditional Chinese art and craftsmanship.
sponsored by ferris wheel press
related articles
In a world where artists often boast about their exceptional and distinctive creations, Taiwanese paper-cutting artist Yang Shih-yi stands apart with his humility. Unlike many artists who speak loftily about their works, Yang describes himself as merely a storyteller, messenger, and servant to serve others' needs. He even goes as far as to say, “The arts might not even be significant.” His primary concern is whether his works will inspire a sense of joy and well-being in people.