Interview with Ching, Wing Sing

Ching, Wing Sing ("CWS") interviewed on Sunday, 18 March.

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

CWS : I love design and art since I was in teenager, because of my art teacher. I assisted her to do different projects for our school. Also, I participated in different design competition as per her recommendation. It motivated me to love arts and designs.I was in aviation industry for 10 years. After that I joined eyewear industry. Until now, I am in eyewear industry for 10 years. During this 10 years, I learnt the eyewear designs from the Italian designs. Also, I absorbed and learnt different designs concept and inspiration when doing the projects with OEM customers. Furthermore, I participated in different eyewear show and fashion show to get the inspiration. During designs, I always mix the ideas from these 3 different industries to make creative eyewear and products. Of course, I always estimate what people need.

How did you become a designer?

CWS : I become eyewear designer, because I worked in eyewear industry. I always meet different eyewear designers and the people from eyewear industry for the OEM projects, because I worked in the manufacturing company for producing eyewear to all my customers. During the meeting, we always exchange the designs and structure ideas. It motivated me to design and develop my eyewear. Therefore, I tried to create my brand with my own designs since Year 2011. My first design is named "Owl". This style is very fancy and creative. After launching that, it attracted many people to find. Also, many people love that, especially celebrities and style house in U.S.A. It confirmed my designs and recognized what I did. It motivated me to design more and more.I studied Business Management, not design. Therefore, I would hope to recognize by the official design associations that it could confirm me as designer. As a result, I participated in 'A' Design Awards. Luckily, my designs had been recognized by the jury panels. It is very appreciated.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

CWS : In my point of view, design is the most important. People love my products, because of my designs. The second thing is style. Style is important too. It is because eyewear is accessories. We have to design that with style that it could mix and match with dressing. For third thing, it is technique. The technique issue applied on the designs, because we want people to wear eyewear as comfortable. In other words, my eyewear should be fashion with design, style, and technique. I always request for prototype after confirming the drawing on my designs. I have to wear and feel whether it is comfortable and fashion. If yes, I will do production. If not, I will consider to modify or drop off that style. It is because I always want to provide the best for all my customers.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

CWS : I always visit different fashion show and read fashion magazine for getting the inspiration. Sometime, I get the ideas when watching TV. For example, my first design and brand logo were come from Discovery TV programme. After watching this programme, there has many animals in my mind. Therefore, I started to use animals (e.g. owl and tiger) for my first two collections' design concept. As a result, I made the animals styles for the fashion creative collections. My designs feeling always come suddenly. It come when I have different feeling, including happy and sad. Such feelings always bring me to different senses, and make different creative or stylish products.

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

CWS : I did not study design when I was in University. However, I have different experience in different fields, including aviation, eyewear, and fashion. I always mix them together to create my new products.For example, I designed "Hooter" style as based on my experience in Aviation field. I found that this is more Influencing designs on eyewear in the world (creative design). I was the first designer to use polarized flat sun lens for the whole shape of the eyewear. Also, I made the structure of it as based on the parts on the plane. Today, there has different famous brand as using same idea for their new models.

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

CWS : I love designs. Therefore, I always do and create different designs for people. I am happy that people love my designs (especially celebrities), and people said "wow" when they found my designs. It is always motivated me to designs more and more. For future, I designs more products for different markets. It is because the needs in different markets are always difference, especially different countries. Also, I would like to do more and more collaborations with different brands for different products, not only eyewear. I really have much interest to do that.

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

CWS : I want to share with the young designers that they need to know what they are doing. If they love designs, they should never give up. There has different people who should have different opinions for your designs. If you don't recognize your own designs, nobody will respect on your designs. In other words, you should work hard on every designs project with confidence. If not, you will give it up easily.

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

CWS : In the new generation, we have to search more data for our designs, including both commercial or non-commercial info. As designers, you must have many many ideas to do the different things and products. However, such ideas may not be recognized by others. It is because such things or products are not their needs. In my suggestion, they have to evaluate and estimate the data before designs. It may be able to recognize and confirm your talents by others.

What is your day to day look like?

CWS : Everyday, I do the research. I read different fashion magazine and fashion news website for getting the trend. Also, I coordinate with different material suppliers to find materials for my designs. If there has any new ideas, I will make a draft for further designs and modification. I enjoy to do that daily.

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

CWS : I always get the inspiration from different channels. Firstly, I read fashion magazine and visit different fashion news website. Secondly, I join different fashion show. Thirdly, I talk and discuss with different fashion designers to estimate the trend. Fourthly, I get the last info and materials info from different suppliers. Lastly, I get some opinions from fashionista. After that, I will consolidate all data, and estimate the trend for my designs.

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

CWS : I always make the prototypes for each designs. After prototypes, it will be reviewed by my team. During the review, they will select their preference and comments. After selection and modification, it will be submitted to distributors from different countries for review and selection. As a result, I will know which the designs are the good designs.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

CWS : I always keep designs in the beginning stage. I always review designs at least twice times after reviewing the trend and magazines. However, I decide designs as in final stage by perception. If design is confirmed, I will make prototype. I will review the prototypes to decide whether the development for design is completed.

What is your biggest design work?

CWS : My first collection is "owl" which included 3 styles (Owl, Hooter, and Screech Owl). In the beginning, I designed "Owl" only. When I launched it and presented in the show, I found many people love it. There has many people to suggest me to do more styles as like this. Therefore, I started to design more 2 styles (i.e. Hooter and Screech Owl) for the markets. It attracted many eyes from the markets. It is caused that many people start to know my brand and me. In this project, I got much satisfaction. It is because this is my first designs for my brand.

Who is your favourite designer?

CWS : My favourite designer is Jimmy Choo. He is Chinese, and he is very kind. He loves designs too. Until now, he is still designing shoes for people. His design is fantastic. It is the reason why there has many celebrities to wear his shoes. In addition, he always help share his experience to designers. I want to do the same too.

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

CWS : I live in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is not big city, however, there has different culture. I learnt different things here. Also, I love travel. During travel, I always search their culture, arts, designs, and history. In addition, I have different knowledge and experience in different fields and industries. I help my designs very much now.

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

CWS : I love share my thinking and ideas with different friends from different industries, including fashion and watch. I don't like work alone or design my products without discussion. The big challenges for me is scared to design the similar products for people. It is the reason why I have to read different fashion and eyewear magazines always. It is the good secondary data for me to make the right design with right trend.

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

CWS : I always assist young fashion designers to style with my eyewear for their fashion catwalk show. Also, I always assist the students to make prototype, and provide some my opinions to them for their designs. I hope they know more, and will not do the mistakes on their designs. It is because some design structure is limited which it cannot produce. If they have such knowledge, they could produce what they design. Moreover, I always donate money to Orbis (NGO) when I sold my products via website. Of course, I always do the personal donation in every month for Orbis too.

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

CWS : Firstly, 'A' Design Award is one of the professional and famous design award in the world. It recognizes by different people. Secondly, 'A' Design Award organized the exhibitions for the winners that their designs could display to different people in different countries. It increase the reputations for the winners and designers. Lastly, the jury panels are professional. The design competition is very important for designers. It confirmed the position for designers. The awards are totally represented that the winners are professional and designers with the good designs.

Ching, Wing Sing Profile