Vivian Wai-kwan Cheng
On leaving the Hong Kong Design Institute after 19 years of educational service, Vivian Cheng founded “Vivian Design” in 2014 to provide consultancy services and promote her own art in jewellery and glass. She graduated with a BA in industrial design from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and was awarded a special prize in the Young Designers of the Year award hosted by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries in 1987, and the Governor’s Award for Industry: Consumer Product Design in 1989, after joining Lambda Industrial Limited as the head of the product design team. In 1995 she finished her master’s degree and joined the Vocational Training Council, teaching product design, and later became responsible for, among others, establishing an international network with design-related organisations and schools.
Vivian Cheng was the International Liaison Manager at the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), member of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) from 2002 to 2004, and was board member of the World Design Organization (formerly Icsid) from 2013 to 2017. Furthermore, she has been a panel member for various adjudication boards of the government and various NGOs.
Red Dot in an interview with Vivian Wai-kwan Cheng
Red Dot: How would you characterise your jewellery?
Vivian Wai-kwan Cheng: My jewellery tells stories. No matter what I design, I think of a story or a journey that I experienced, and I embed it in my pieces. So, I think my jewellery in a way talks to the people who wear it and expresses itself.
What features does a product need to have in order to win you over?
The number one vital ingredient of good design is that it must have a role and position in society, a reason to exist. It should be able to achieve a particular goal. The next question is whether the design is well-thought-out in terms of function, operation, appearance, ergonomics, material selection, user friendliness, eco friendliness, production and market positioning.
What product could you not do without in your everyday life?
My cooking pan is the item I use every day for my breakfast, lunch and dinner. A good and welldesigned pan will be comfortable to use and bring pleasure while preparing your meal.