Alice Yeung of Rock & Gold is a design extraordinaire from Brisbane. Her designs ooze the cosmopolitan flare of cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney. Rock & Gold offers groovy wearables for the modern day women: from handcrafted jewellery to fabulous silk scarfs that look so delicious you could eat them!
We recently caught up with Alice to chat about her work and her funky limited edition silk scarfs from her A feast for the Body series exclusive to the artisan Design Store.
What motivated you to become a designer?
I come from a creative family, my mother was a director in the women’s fashion industry and my brother is an awesome cartoonist. As a child I used to “publish” my own comic strips and I would tell my brother it’s the last copy so he had better snap it up before it’s too late. I guess that’s where both my creative and business mind started developing! At school I also won a fashion design competition, which confirmed my path in the design field. Later in my school life, it was my passion for antiques and artifacts that led to my appreciation for Industrial Design, specifically products designed by Marc Newson, which then prompted me to study Industrial Design. I really admire how things used to be designed to last and hence a lot of thought was put in to ensure the longevity of the product, that is something I try to emulate in my designs.
Alice in her studio. Image by Jaala Alex.
You are currently based in Brisbane, but you have lived and worked in cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, Melbourne and Sydney. How have these cities influenced your work?
I would say the architecture and street art of each city inspire me the most in terms the forms of my jewellery designs. Having said that I think I have an in-built microscopic zoom function in my eyes so I would also credit the smallest and seemingly mundane details as my
inspirations too. With the colour combinations of my textile designs I am informed by the local food and fashion. If I had to choose one city that has influenced my work the most it would be the utilitarian yet minimalist approach of the Japanese and the vibrancy and eclectic culture of modern Japan.
Durian fruit. Image source: Wikipedia.
Kochi Architects Studio Apartment House Tokyo. Photo by Daici Ano.
Curvilinear Light Well in the Hiroshi Senju Museum Karuizawa design by Japanese Architect Ryue Nishizawa in Nagano Japan. Image by daici Ano. Image source: designboom.
Street Art by Fin Dac. Image by @soimjustsaying.
We are so excited to launch your gorgeous A feast for the Body scarf range. Can you tell us more about your inspiration to create a scarf range?
I have always appreciated the versatility of a humble silk scarf as it can transform a simple outfit to something quite smart. I like the practicality of it as well, it’s so light, portable and it provides you with that extra layer with the unpredictable weather. Wearing a scarf is wearing a piece of artwork on your body, what’s not to love about it?! With my new scarf collection I have purposely designed it in a larger format (140cm x 140cm) so that not only can it be used as a scarf it is a body wrap and a head scarf.
From the A Feast for the Body series, 100% silk. Limited edition of 50 (RRP $150). Alice says this scarf was ‘inspired by my recent trip to Singapore with their abundance of exotic tropical fruit!’.
Jaala hanging a spaghetti inspired scarf from A Feast for the Body series in the artisan Design Store. 100% silk. Limited edition of 50 (RRP $150).
What are the stories behind your scarf designs?
Cantonese people talk about food all day long. When you bump into somebody on the street you don’t ask them how they are, instead you ask them “have you eaten?”. So I guess being Cantonese, food is in my DNA, though I try not to use the food shapes literally but rather I would give it a sexy spin. This is evident on my “Sushi Desu” scarf where the fish roes burst energetically into the air. Other than food, I do employ elements from the Art Deco period. I just love how the simple shapes work together to create something quite extraordinary.
Rock & Gold, ‘Sushi Desu’, 100% silk scarf. Limed edition (RRP $150). Image: courtesy of artist.
Rock & Gold, Jaala modeling Sushi Desu as headscarf, 100% silk scarf. Limed edition of 50 (RRP $150). Image: courtesy of artist.
You’re an industrial designer by trade but you also create bespoke jewellery and small objects. Do you find your various design practices intertwine? Food certainly seems to be a recurring motif throughout your work!
Absolutely! I always consider the functional details of a piece at the back of my mind rather than just making a design look pretty. You must think about how the wearer is going to interact with the jewellery on a day-to-day basis. For instance, the piece cannot be so heavy that it’s a burden for the wearer, it should be an enjoyable experience. I also try to design new and better methods for fastenings etc.
Rock & Gold, Fruity Loop Earrings. Sterling silver dipped in rose gold.
Rock & Gold, Honeycomb Earrings. Sterling silver dipped in rose gold.
Rock & Gold, Penne Neck Piece. Sterling Silver dipped in Rose Gold.
Roch & Gold, More Pizza Please Necklace. Sterling Silver dipped in Rose Gold bezel set with a 6mm Mozambique Garnet.
How can we keep-to-date with your latest projects?
Sometimes I like to snap work-in-progress shots with my phone camera in the studio and I would share them on Instagram, which is like a photo diary of not just Rock & Gold but things that inspire me. Facebook is where I would post more product related information and special offers.
Instagram: @rockandgold
Facebook: www.facebook.com/studiorockandgold
Rock & Gold’s limited edition A feast for the Body scarf range is available now only at artisan! You will also find a range of Rock & Gold’s fabulous jewellery designs in store. So pop in store, email us (mart@artisn.org.au) or give us a call on (07) 3215 0808 for more information about what products we have available!