6/13/12

yummy illustrations 美味的插畫





While I was doing some research for one of my clients, I stumbled upon some beautiful illustrations.
These yummy illustrations are done by Javier Mariscal, a talented Spanish designer.

在替客戶做一些研究時,偶然發現了這些漂亮的插圖。線條美味的插圖
是才華橫溢的西班牙設計師哈維爾·馬里斯卡爾的作品。
。


6/3/12

a bite of china 舌尖上的中國

 

A great documentary about the flavors of China. A Bite of China, the seven-episode documentary, brought the Chinese back to their culinary roots, most of which has been forgotten in the urban rush.

It's a pity that there is no English subtitle for now.

5/29/12

Girl with a bowknot headband 戴蝴蝶結的女孩


Wearing a bowknot headband and a perfume at the same time, she smells like a veil of powdery pink. The smell is close to a pure form of aesthetics shrouded in the qualities of romance, feminine, and cuteness.

This article focused on the visual inspiration of Natalie Portman in the advertisement of Miss Dior Cherie, and how her playful style evoked a creative connection between "cuteness", "bowknot", and "pink smell".

戴蝴蝶結搽香水,聞出來的味道會有一層粉紅的透明感。那是一種純造形的審美主義,有著接近可愛的浪漫、淘氣、裝飾性,及溫和的氣質。在世故、憂雅、女人味、可信賴、樂觀種種加諸於女性的形容詞上,最可愛的特質應該還是“可愛”。渾然天成的可愛是不可多得的,就像好來塢女演員娜塔麗·波特曼一樣,從《殺手不太冷》的小女孩,到《星戰前傳》的高貴女王,再到《黑天鴯》的芭蕾舞演員,及至變身為迪奧香水的繆斯,其舉手投足之中都帶著一點聰慧的可愛………。
本文將著墨於波特曼與「可愛」、「蝴蝶結」,「粉紅」的感官聯想。

5/8/12

fragrance is OK!

The First Issue at OK! 創刊號

May 1st was the date of a happy festival dedicated to Flora, the goddess of flowers and of spring. It also marked the very first issue of my new fragrance column at OK!, a celebrity and lifestyle magazine in China.

For each issue I will choose a fragrance to express the creative connection between fragrance and style, each time focused a different celebrity who would reflect a particular aesthetic value and inspiration for the fragrance. With a bit of educational flair added, I hope to share with the reader the knowledge to select the right fragrance for their own personalities and occasions.

I apologize for not updating my blog on a more regular basis, but at least I can refer my Chinese readers to my fragrance column every other week...


在歐洲,5月1日是一個獻給春天與花卉女神 Flora 的快樂節日。它同時也標誌著我在中國名人時尚雜誌 OK! 書寫香水專欄的開始!

每一期刊,我會聚焦在一位名人所反映的獨特審美觀,再因應其個人風格給與我的靈感來挑選一款香水。專欄中,名人與香水的美學風格相對呼應,隱隱然地讓讀者進一步了解香水與風格品味的創意聯想;輕輕鬆鬆地帶出一些香水美學教育,與讀者分享如何正確選擇適合自己的個性和社交場合的香水知識。

很抱歉沒有勤快地更新我的博客,但至少我的中文讀者們,可以開始每隔一周閱讀我的香水專欄...

3/14/12

“香水記事”的背後花絮 (四) the story of a perfume: scene 4

perfume sampling
the interior
the interior
perfume sampling


感知空間: 花絮 (四)

此次展覽的陳設以自然和冥想為主: 一點烏托邦, 一點侘寂, 再一點童趣。它交織著訪客個人的記憶、混和著他們不設框限的的知覺想像力, 感知空間的經驗於焉成形。


perceptual space: scene 4

The setting of the exhibition is all about nature and escapism: a bit of utopia, a bit of wabi sabi, and a bit of childlikeness. It interweaves the visitor’s own memories and allows them to push the boundary and blend their sensory imagination to feel the perceptual space.
 
                                               
                                                                         ––– the end –––

2/21/12

“香水記事”的背後花絮 (三) the story of a perfume: scene 3

® Della Chuang Creativess

® Della Chuang Creatives

® Della Chuang Creatives
® Della Chuang Creatives

® Della Chuang Creatives
 


不好意思,過去的幾個星期一直在忙著幾個緊迫的設計和寫作案子呢。現在,就讓我們回去之前的香水故事......

設計: 花絮 (三)

在此次展覽中,我展示了五個吻合亞洲女孩 FiFi 的個性與『白色精靈』香水的設計草圖,並邀請觀眾票選自己最喜歡的香水瓶設計。除了意圖與觀眾來一場面對面的知覺溝通之外,這樣的作法還有一個額外的好處,那就是讓觀眾理解香水瓶的設計是如何融入“視覺”、“香味”、“音樂”之間的創意聯想。

令我高興的是
觀眾對票選活動的積極肯定。在展覽結束後,總共有 3,257 名觀眾參與投票。不過那一個香水瓶設計是贏家呢?請允許我吊一下你好奇的胃口直到這款香水正式上市。

Design: scene 3

Sorry. I had been sidetracked with a few urgent design and writing projects for the past few weeks. Now let's go back to the perfume story from before....

In this exhibition,  I presented five bottle design sketches and invited the audience to choose their favorite design that matched the character of the Asian girl Fifi and the "White Fairy" perfume. Besides intending to create an engaged communication with the audience, doing this has an added benefit of allowing the audience to experience the creative connections between the themes of "visual", "scent", and "music", and how they fuse into a set of perfume bottle sketches.

Much to my delight, by the end of the exhibition, 3, 257 visitors voted and the response was overwhelmingly positive. So which design is the winner? Please allow me to make you curious until I launch this project.

1/2/12

the ingredients for a fun new year eve






Preparation time: 2.5 hour

Cooking time: 3.5 hours
Total time: 6 hours

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
Interesting people with good appetite

A flower bouquet and some pots of green plants for decoration

Ambient light setting (candlelight is the key)

A few bottles of Masumi Sake, Sauternes, Moet Chandon, and G.H. Mumm

Home-made froie gais, a gift from a lovely guest

3 plates of Temaki Sushi (手巻き寿司) to share

Ginger pears paired with meringue

A good playlist of music to dine and dance

Nice neighbors with high tolerance to noise

11/15/11

“香水記事”的背後花絮 (二) the story of a perfume: scene 2



前段情境 TOP NOTES
新鮮清綠的挪威森林的氛圍。

Experience: the ambiance of the refreshing, crisp Norwegian wood air.

中段情境 MIDDLE NOTES
輕灑著溫柔細語的白花花、濕潤潤的花叢。

Experience: white forest flowers covered in mist and drizzled with whispers of
soft, soothing, purifying sensation. 

後段情境 BASE NOTES
神密詳和的森林奇境中所流連徘徊的美麗與浪漫。

Experience: Beauty and romance lingers in a mystical, calming forces of woody nature.

香水結構:花絮之二

此次展覽,我很榮幸有機會能和調香師 Yann Vasnier 合作。Yann 多變性的感受力創作了諸如 Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Donna Karan, Comme Des Garçons 和 Tommy Hilfiger 品牌的香水。

對我來說,詩應該是最能貼切生動地表達香水的意境。也因此我寫了一首詩, 讓人一探 Fifi W 耐人尋味的世界, 也希望藉由它點燃 Yann 在嗅覺上的想像力。這是一個由白色的童話般的感官元素所組成的詩,它編織 Fifi W 的性格,並且娓娓道出了一個香水的故事。

Yann 讀透, 解碼, 再將這首詩化為一種無形的, 美麗的, 飄逸出氤氤香氣的森林。這首詩是這樣寫的:

如果是在破曉時分,它像是抹上一層淡藍光澤的銀色。

如果是在幽暗的月光下,它閃爍著珍珠白的光茫。
 
如果用我的指尖輕輕碰,它有羽毛的觸感。
 
如果把它放在我的手掌中,它輕盈地想脫逃。
 
如果我用舌尖品嚐它,它的口感柔潤。
 
如果我把它放在嘴裡,它清新怡人。
 
如果它是樂器,那就是鋼琴。

如果我仔細聆聽,耳邊響起陳綺貞的裊裊歌聲。

如果我聞一聞,挪威森林的味道翩然而至。

如果它是一朵花,聞起來像是蘊涵著百合花香的露珠, 而不是艷陽底下的紅玫瑰。

透過了Fifi 的感官世界,希望你會明白外放的感官之美–––––––他們給你一張心靈的圖片。


The Composition: scene 2

In this exhibition, I was glad to have the chance to collaborate with Mr. Yann Vasnier, the perfumer at Givaudan who has brought a versatile sensibility to perfumes for Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Donna Karan, Comme Des Garçons and Tommy Hilfiger.

To me, poetry might seems to be the best way to describe a perfume. I wrote a poem that offers an intriguing glimpse into the world of Fifi W, and used it to ignite Yann’s olfactory imagination. Composed of sensory elements of a white fairytale, the poem weaves the story of a perfume that speaks softly to Fifi’s character.

Yann decoded the poem and illustrated it as an invisible, beautiful way perfume travels in the forest. The poem goes like this:


If I saw it in the dawn, it would be silver with layers of light blue.

If I saw it under the dim moonlight, it would be pearl white.

If I touched it with the tip of a finger, it would feel like feather.

If I took it into my palm, it would escape.

If I tasted it, its texture would be soft.

If I took it between my lips, it refreshes my mouth.

If it were a musical instrument, it would be a piano.



I hope through the sensory world of Fifi, you would understand the beauty of opening up the senses -––  they give your MIND a picture.

10/23/11

“香水記事”的背後花絮 (一) the story of a perfume: scene 1

An Asian girl called Fifi W.


Fifi says: I love nature.
Fifi says: My bare essentials.
Fifi says: I love Cheer Chen.


塗鴉:花絮之一

塗鴉點燃了我們內在的創造力。它不但是一個溝通的工具,也是一個藝術的成型。雖然我通常運用電腦來完成我的設計,但是我必需承認的是, 對於無法傳達冒險與即興創意的電腦繪圖,我是有些許的失望的。

塗鴉讓我逃離現實,讓我心靈自由。它也同時給予我一種溫軟,舒適的感覺。無論是悲傷或是想喘口氣休息,我喜歡看看我年少在學校課本空白處塗畫的漂亮公主和可愛的小白兔,好讓他們引領我穿梭時光找回那些天真,甜美,和快樂的記憶。

為了吻合這次2011世界設計大會展覽所要表現的童話氛圍,我因此用了塗鴉為媒介來訴說 Fifi W.的故事–––一個住在亞洲,喜歡旅行,也是音樂人陳綺貞的粉絲的女孩。

"和調香師 Yann Vasnier 探索詩中的香水"將是系列之二, 請拭目以待...


Doodling: scene 1

Doodling ignites our inner creativity. It is not just a communication device but also an art form. Although I do most of my design on computer, I confess that much computer-generated illustration disappoints me for its lack of risk and immediacy.

Doodling allows me to escape from the real world and let my mind run free. It also creates a warm, comfy sensation. Whenever I feel down and need a break, I like to look at the drawings of fancy princesses and cute bunnies in the margin of my old school books, and let them bring me back to the innocent, sweet, and happy memories.

To match the fairy-tale ambience of the perfume for my exhibit “The Story of a Perfume” at IDA Congress 2011, I decided to use doodling as a medium to tell the fable of Fifi W.–––An Asian girl who loves travel and is a big fan of Cheer Chen (陳綺貞).

"Exploring the Perfume in a Poem with Yann Vasnier" will be the second. Please stay tuned...

10/16/11

IDA Congress: Della Chuang + Yann Vasnier + 陳綺貞 = 香水記事





left: Della Chuang, center: Yann Vasnier, right: Cheer Chen



當紐約的設計師莊卉家,巴黎的調香師 Yann Vasnier,台北的音樂人陳綺貞,這三位來自不同領域的創作人聚在一塊的時後,台北的空氣會散發出什麽樣的創意氣息呢?

我們在台北世界設計大會展示一場知覺設計的展覽–––香水記事:或看、或聞、或聽。歡迎您前來一探究竟。
日期: 10/22 ––– 10/30, 2011 (10 am –– 6 pm)
地點: 台北世貿展覽館一館D區
主辦單位: 經濟部;台北市政府
執行單位: 台灣設計創意中心
贊助者: 瑞士Givaudan香水香精公司;台北添翼創越工作室;台東原愛工坊

When designer Della Chuang, perfumer Yann Vasnier and musician Cheer Chen meet and make magic together, Taipei is a place where imagination and creativity become engaged...

"The Story of a Perfume", my design exhibition collaborated with Mr. Vasnier and Ms. Chen, will be presented at 2011 IDA Congress in Taipei from 10/22 to 10/31. We appreciated the great support from Givaudan, Teamear Music, and Taidong Yuan-Ai Crafts.


10/10/11

"The Story of a Perfume" at 2011 IDA Congress 世界設計大會展覽–––香水記事

Sketched in the studio
十月份除了參與 Sephora 和 Firmenich 在紐約所舉辦香水知覺設計聯展外,我也榮幸地能夠回台共襄2011世界國際設計大會 (International Design Alliance) 的展覽盛舉。

刻意避開閃亮晶瑩的香水瓶及攝人魂魄的廣告陳列,此次展覽將以”說故事” 的方式來介紹香水設計的醞釀過程。在芬芳的氛圍中,訪客將從香水瓶設計草圖與創意槪念看板中體驗出視覺、嗅覺和聽覺之間的創意聯想。

香水的藝術創意向來令人推崇,但卻也像是撲了一層薄紗般讓人難以捉摸。此次展覽,我希望以自在、傳神、不矯情的表達方式,讓普羅大眾了解並進而欣賞設計的醞釀過程。

人人皆是造物者。如果我們學會發揮個人的想像力並設身處地地去了解每件事物背後的“創造想法”及“過程”, 那麽我們的生活將會更美好。至少,我是這麽想的...

Apart from Sensorium exhibition by Sephora and Firmenich in New York, I’ll participate in the design expo at International Design Alliance (IDA) World Congress, the most authoritative international design event of the world. Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, is appointed as the host of IDA Congress in 2011.

Eschewing polished perfume bottles and slick advertisements, my exhibition showcases the creative process of perfume design through a story of an Asian girl. The audience will experience the creative connections between the themes of "visual", "scent", and "music", and how they fuse into a set of perfume bottle sketches and concept boards.

The creativity of perfumes is a quality that is highly valued, but not always well understood. Using more spontaneous, expressive, and less inhibited ways to present a perfume idea, I hope the audience would appreciate the beauty of the creative process of all design principles.

Everything is created by somebody. If one could learn to imagine, in any given thing, the “creator’s thoughts” and the “process”, it might lead to a better life. At least, that’s what I think...

9/28/11

Sensorium by Sephora and Firmenich 紐約下城知覺設計聯展


image provided by Firmenich
photo by Arty Westphal
I'm honored to participate in Sensorium, a sensory exhibition presented by the cosmetics retailer Sephora and the well-established perfumes & flavors company Firmenich. I hope, through the lucid dreams from the sensory world,  you'll understand how my KyotEau perfume project was conceived and constructed.

Will touching the KyotEau perfume bottle bring back the emotions Kyoto evokes in you? Please come and visit us in downtown New York.

我很榮幸能夠參與 Sensorium 知覺設計的聯覽。此次聯覽是由在美妝零售業界執牛耳的Sephora和知名的瑞士香水香精公司 Firmenich 所贊助。倘佯在感性卻清晰的展示空間裡, 希望您逐步了解我的香水設計––– KyotEau:京都之水 的發想過程及建構組合。

當您的眼睛觸摸了KyotEau:京都之水 的香水瓶,您的京都之情是否因此冉冉而生呢?我們邀請您前來紐約下城親身體驗。


9/26/11

Worthwhileness 值得的寶貝

Walking in the Swiss Alps

It rained and the sun came back out. I kept walking until I saw the splendid rainbows across the misty sky.

Often, worthwhileness must be justified by persistence.

太陽玩躲貓貓的下雨天裡,我就這樣走著走著等到薄霧藍天終於出現了兩道彩虹。

值得等待的寶貝通常是需要時間和耐力的堅持,我這樣對著自己說。

9/11/11

The Elegiac Sound of Cicadas 哀傷的蟬聲


Cicadas don’t sing on a cold day, but today I heard them chirping out in my backyard. They sounded like an elegy for September 11, 2001.

蟬不會在冷天氣裡獻聲。今天聽到在後院裡彼起彼落的蟬聲像是一首哀悼紐約九一一悲劇的挽歌。

9/4/11

Inspired by Inrō


An inro collection from British Museum
I enjoy contemplating the beauty of inrō (Japanese:印籠) for their high art and immense craftsmanship. I love the feel, the smoothness, the detailed incisions that give them life and expression. Made of a variety of materials, including wood, ivory, bone, and lacquer, they provide me invaluable inspiration while designing a fine object, especially a perfume bottle.

An inrō is a traditional Japanese case for holding small objects, such as medicines, identity seals, tobacco and pipes. The stack of boxes is held together by a cord that runs through cord runners down one side, under the bottom, and up the opposite side. The ends of the cord are secured to a netsuke (Japanese: 根付), a toggle that is passed between the sash and pants and then hooked over the top of the sash to suspend the inrō. The making of an inro is a highly-skilled process, as each compartment has to fit smoothly into the next. They figured importantly as signs of status in the upper-class male wardrobe in Edo Period.

As an advocate of high-art aesthetics, I was pleased to see some marvelous inro at “A Sensibility to the Seasons: Summer and Autumn in Japanese Art “, an exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exquisite and elegant, they were filled with pools of light shining through inviting you to appreciate–––the artistry within Edo society of the time.



8/6/11

Watch People Watching 觀看觀眾




I am standing somewhere in the stuffy “Talk To Me” exhibition room in MoMA. Too tired to focus my attention on nearly 200 objects, all centered on interaction, and emphasized how the need to share information and have a dialogue with audiences in contemporary design... I am turning my head a little so that I get an elusive overview of the works of art surrounding me.

As the room gets louder as it gets latter, my head feels in a dubious state; I feel like leaving the museum and yet wish to stay to watch people watching. I guess I am not one of the hardcore art connoisseurs who sit on this bench to discuss with their partner about the abstract form of William de Kooning’s Woman. To me, an engaged audience can be as interesting as the work of art itself.



中文讀者們, 因為最近忙著公事無法挪出時間將此篇文章翻譯成中文, 對不起了...