Interview with Moon Jung Chang

Moon Jung Chang ("MJC") interviewed on Wednesday, 11 November.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

MJC : I did my bachelor degree for 4 years, and master's 2 years in fashion design. While studying, I did my internships at luxury NYC brands, from small to big ones, and also industrial design company. I fully dedicated 2 years of industrial experiences of my Design Studio, Moon Chang. In between, I have done clients based design works as well.

How did you become a designer?

MJC : When I was young, I wanted to become a painter because I have done fine art, especially paintings, for a long time. But, I wished my ability of art to be more functional and useful, which can help people, and found out fashion design is one of the most valuable areas for human beings.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

MJC : Conception, Aesthetic, and technique are my priorities when designing. The conception is the starting point of the process, which makes the design special, based on my experience and research. The aesthetic is also important because it tells me who am I as a designer, it is like an identity and style, and accelerates the value and touch. The technique is a tool, skill and science, which makes the conception and aesthetic breathe in a real life. I create 5D sketchbook, which is the journal of 5 senses, so that it contains the values I need, such as photos, sketches, colors, scents, techniques, videos, sounds, flavors, materials, etc. Therefore, it is a full book of both classic process journal and also latest technology.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

MJC : I am full of curiosity and excitement when doing design, especially I love the beginning and middle of process. In the beginning, it is the idea and concept research, and I am happy to imagine that there are many possibilities of designs. In the mid process, which is the making and sampling parts, I always make the fabrications, first samples and outcomes myself, while making, I love to see how the collection being developed.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

MJC : My parents are from the academic backgrounds, and let me to read books, and study a lot, especially english, literature, science and maths. When doing my design process, I include a lot of readings and writings on my process in many different genres and many experiments, especially sciences and philosophy. I love to make my theory valid by the facts, and calculate the research as numbers. Those processes make me more academic in artistic ways, so it makes my design research and outcomes more special. I can say this is not just a beautiful design, it is coming from the researches I did from academic fields.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

MJC : My dream is very simple, but hard. I wish many people's love on my brands and designs.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

MJC : Young designers should experience as many as they can, challenge a lot, also fail a lot! They should not fear of failing, it would cause hesitation. Good design always comes from the creative and brave challenge!

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

MJC : The key of success is the honesty, especially in a professional industry. Be true and honest to your designs and relationships. I saw some designers who try to hide their weakness behind, but leads to negative results. If you have a weak point, don't hide it, confront directly and overcome it! Then opportunity will follow naturally!

What is your day to day look like?

MJC : I work Monday till weekends. Especially on weekdays, I start my days with checking my business emails first. After that, I start my design works at the studio. Most days, I do researches, pattern makings, and fabrications, and also the digital works. However, I take a coffee break with my french bulldog, Venus! He is always at a sofa which is right next to my pattern desks.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

MJC : I believe there is no season and trends nowadays, what designer or artist suggests are the unique and own trends and styles. I follow my own ways all the time, my preset plans. The positive thing is WGSN trends' forecasts always highlight my collection as future trends, and I am happy that I am ahead of the trends.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

MJC : I think a really good design must satisfy people's senses and needs. It is hard to satisfy every single criteria, but must need the strongest strengths to attract people.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

MJC : There are a moment I feel, this is it. I am a minimalist who loves maximalism, so I combines the contrasts of those two aesthetics. However, I find the right moment to stop it, and not do overly design. Designs are ready made, but I believe they also need the moment of feeling natural. If I feel something is not complete or missing, I take a break from it and come back later to figure them out, while working on others, and I find the way to solve the incomplete designs.

What is your biggest design work?

MJC : The biggest design work was my first thesis collection from my BFA. At that time, I was working on the theme of Fashion Victim, especially about PTSD, and I was too nervous and did not know how to describe it into the garments. However, I firstly confront myself, and also the society, and made this topic broader, shared with people, to make the burden lighter, and confronted it as the perspective of an artist and designer. I successfully completed so well, the outcome was amazing, and received the highest compliments and spotlights. It was the hardest project I did, but it turned out the sweetest at the end.

Who is your favourite designer?

MJC : Alexander McQueen and Martin Margiela are my favorite designers, both of them have created the magic in different ways. McQueen creates the full of imaginations and dark fantasy of art and fashion. Margiela also breaks all the rules of fashion industry, which flipped the existing rules and systems, but his garments are perfectly deconstructed and tailored.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

MJC : I have been NYC almost 8 years now, and it is much more comfortable than my hometown, Korea. I think culture effects on my design for sure because my lifestyle changed a lot when I moved to NYC to study fashion design. The city was full of freedom and expression, and no regulations and limits on art and design educations.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

MJC : I only work alone because I need to focus alone and can work fast. I do have interns for shows or productions, as well as production managers. But for design process, I do work alone. However, that does not mean I am not doing interactions. My business philosophy is to have a communication with people through my design. I do interact with people and friends from industry, and do collaborations and give feedbacks to each other.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

MJC : I am the designer who seek sustainable lifestyle, so I promote better conditions on design process, production places, workers, and also for environment. I abandon toxic materials and animal furs, and always try to use the recycled fabrics. Moreover, I attend the critiques and symposium for young designers to give them tips for their portfolio.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

MJC : I am so happy that I won the Golden Award, which is the highest in a fashion category. As the most famous design competition, I received many spotlights, greeting letters, and contacts rom many people, and again, it becomes the connections and relations widely. Thank you to A' Design Award.

Moon Jung Chang Profile