Zhang Xiaoyu: Making jewelries with spirit of adventure

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"I have always been someone with curiosity. When I make designs, I'm more inclined to explore things in the grey area," jewelry designer Zhang Xiaoyu told CGTN in an exclusive interview.

It was with the above mentioned thought that Zhang and her schoolmate Li Min created the YVMIN brand in 2012. The brand in the last five years has become a "body decoration lab" that explores all body-related possibilities.

Beginning

It was at a Prada event in China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in January 2011 when Zhang found her passion. She was a junior student at the institution.

Jewelry designer Zhang Xiaoyu. /Photo via Weibo

She volunteered at the event and was deeply inspired. "I thereafter looked forward to the day that my own work could become as brilliant as those displayed on the event and be fancied and supported by such a colossal amount of people. The transformation of design talent to the strength of a brand can be extremely appealing and of great social value," Zhang said during an interview with Vogue Italia.

During her tenure in CAFA, she engaged in all kinds of art forms including iron art, ceramics, and silk-screen printing. The engagement broadened her understanding of material’s texture.

Jewelry collection of YVMIN. /Photo courtesy of YVMIN.

She explored the possibilities of titanium and 3D-printing on jewelry during her graduation work. She converted her research into a project with Xander Zhou, a world famous menswear designer from China.

Collaboration with Zhou not only made her popular among her peers but also renowned foreign buyer shops started noticing her designs. The success gave her confidence to set up her own label YVMIN in Beijing in 2012.

Pursuit of pure art

During her years in CAFA, Zhang came to realize that the "jewelries" are not just limited to "jewelries" themselves.

In her opinion, traditional jewelries are necessary non-necessities because of their symbolism endowed by the society, power, social status and fortune.

Jewelry collection of YVMIN. /Photo courtesy of YVMIN.

However, she was looking for something different, something more artistic and spiritual, or "pure art" as she put it.

"I choose jewelry as a carrier to reflect my ideas in art. The majority of things I'm interested in are conceptual – something more abstract and hard to capture," Zhang told CGTN.

"What I look at is beyond the aesthetics of the body, but the relationship between the body and the environment, the body and the external items," she said.

Jewelry collection of YVMIN. /Photo courtesy of YVMIN.

Unexpected popularity

Zhang's designs are far away from the mainstream designs, which gives her limited space in the market.

Fortunately, her designs attract a group of followers who cherish individuality and distinguishes them from the regulars.

"Maybe such designs are more close to the state of the younger generation of our times," Zhang said.

The designs have also attracted top celebrities such as Victoria's Secret's model Liu Wen, actresses Zhou Xun, Yang Mi and Zhou Dongyu.

Celebrities who are fond of jewelry designs by YVMIN. /Photo courtesy of YVMIN.

They have influenced choice of consumers.

Zhang calls her jewelries "completely in vain of practical use." "But when you still love them, it proves they have been bestowed something from you."

"I wish I can carry on with my original curiosity and the spirit of adventure to make designs," Zhang said.