White jade has long been adored by the Chinese consumers. In China market, craftsmanship and design of white jade usually advocate traditional Chinese aesthetics. While more than before, the east-meets-west creative design in the jewellery industry is well played by the new generation of Chinese designers who intend to take their arts and crafts to the global stage.
Su Jiefeng, founder and designer of SocoSo, established the brand in 2009. He tried to breakthrough the conventional jade design and invented the ‘inter-invisible setting’ which brings gold and white jade perfectly together. “For example, for the White ring, with inter-invisible setting we turn the frigid stone to something which is sinuous and 3-dimensional,” Su explained.
“Emotion is the driving force behind white jade consumption in the mainland market.” He noted: “White jade is a Chinese cultural essence characterizing gentleness and grace. White jade art pieces usually reflect the thinking of humanity. The reason that I created SocoSo is to promote Chinese culture. Through my jewellery, I am trying to express my attitude towards life.”
When talking about his career path, he recalled: “I was a graphic designer for a jewellery company in China after graduated from college. As I have seen the ever-changing jewellery market in Mainland China where economic development is speeding up fast, I realized the importance of establishing a unique brand and innovative design to stay competitive for an enterprise.”
In early 2012, Su started the ‘New Jade Movement’ with his design team in a bid to look beyond the limitations of traditional jade sculpture techniques. He noted: “The first collection for the ‘New Jade Movement’ was showcased at 2012 Hong Kong International Jewellery Show. At Baselworld 2013, we caught international attention. Overseas buyers were interested in the new craftsmanship and design.”
“Although white jade is well-liked in the mainland, it is still not widely accepted overseas. Many jewellers from abroad consider the sky-high prices of the material unbelievable,” said Su.
“Besides white jade, we use different kinds of gemstones such as jadeite and fancy coloured diamonds. The price range of my jewellery is from 3,000 to 20,000 yuan. We also provide customized jewellery design for our clients,” he added.
SocoSo’s research centre sits in eastern Shenzhen, China. Mentioning the future development, Su said: “We are now focusing on brand promotion. In the future, we hope to open our brand stores in Paris, New York, Taipei and Beijing.”
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