Founded in 2000, Lin Shiao Tung Jewellery is the jewellery brand in Taiwan with the most design patents. Behind the brand is a designer who dedicates his life to creating storytelling jewellery, including the brand’s signature jade bear which symbolises the designers’ love for his daughter. “Over the last 16 years since the brand was established, it has always been my firm belief that each piece of jewellery is meant to commemorate a meaningful event in life,” said founder and designer Lin Shiao Tung.
Lin started designing jewellery in 1990 and won the Gold Virtuosi International Jewellery Award in 2002 as the first Taiwanese recipient. “I was surrounded by design masters from European big brands when I received the award in Italy. This was the moment when I became determined to found my eponymous brand because it is the only way to show the world the spirit of Taiwanese design,” he recalled.
To Lin, fei cui is the gemstone that could best convey the Chinese culture. While many emphasise the material quality and value of fei cui, he views it as the material that could best represent intangible values. “Apart from craftsmanship I am also concerned with delivering warmth and strength through the pieces to move people. I wish to include more emotions and stories in my jewels so gradually I focus less on the quality of fei cui but more on the message behind the designs to connect to individual stories of the wearers,” he explained.
For instance, the signature jade bear was born from the strong bond between Lin and his daughter. Inspired by the teddy bear Lin gave his daughter for birthday when she was one, Lin began to create the jade bear after her daughter left Taiwan to study abroad at 18. As such, the bear carries the designer’s memory of his daughter’s childhood, his love for her as well as a symbol of protection.
Lin’s jewels are all supported by deep and true stories that reflect the different stages and experiences in life. In his view, stories in a piece of jewellery appeal to customers young and old. One of their clients is the now 86-year-old Mei-Ru Du, the daughter of Shanghai mob boss Du Yuesheng. Although she possesses many pieces of precious jewellery, her favourite is Lin’s designs as they deliver memories and emotions. Once Lin helped her redesign a set of heirloom coral jewellery for her daughter, and thus preserved the family heritage while answering the needs of the new generation.
In Lin’s view, the majority of fei cui designs in the market emphasises the luxuriousness and value of the material while lacking in lifestyle attributes, making it difficult for the younger generation to wear and appreciate. His designs manage to break the limits of the past and succeed in inspiring a new love of jade among the Millennials.
For instance, his Candy collection polished the fei cui to reveal candy-like translucence, which is uncommon. In this way he could introduce the cultural meanings of fei cui to the new generation and let them wear it casually in a daily fashion.
Regarding market development, they were invited by Eslite Bookstore to expand their network to Hong Kong and Suzhou in 2016 with satisfactory market response. Lin said: “I hope to take Taiwanese design to the overseas markets with the power of our brand so that the world could see the best of Taiwan.” Besides, the brand will organise an art show tour in Asia in 2017 using jade as the primary material. In the future it will also be staged in museums in Europe to impress the world with the tenderness of fei cui and the essence of Chinese culture. (Photo courtesy: Lin Shiao Tung Jewellery)
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