Oriental sparkle becomes craftsman's crowning glory

Chinese jeweler gives the Queen, Beckham the royal treatment

At a jewelry exhibition in London two years ago celebrating the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the throne, a selection of jewelry made by a young Chinese designer was put on display with masterpieces by many world-class Western designers.

They were the works of Liu Fei, 39, one of few Asians to have made a name for himself in jewelry design outside China.

Liu has a range of award-winning collections that put the accent on femininity and star-quality appeal, jewelry that draws heavily on his Eastern heritage but that leans equally on his Western training.

"I must say that I try to use the language of the West to illustrate a Chinese story," he says. "I try to combine my background and what I have learned here to create something that represents my own identity."

Liu hails from the southwestern municipality of Chongqing but was trained at the School of Jewelry at Birmingham City University from 1998 to 2001, and is said to have been the department's first Chinese student.

"I come from a relatively reserved culture, and I was fascinated by how open British culture is," Liu says on a web page of the university devoted to its alumni.

"I wanted to keep the real me but adapt to this new society and improve myself too.

"Since I have been in the UK, my whole understanding of art and beauty has been turned upside down. European art history has become the most important influence in my understanding of art."

For Liu, designing jewelry is an artistic expression and an extension of his character.

"Jewelry gives me the opportunity to express myself and how I see the world. It's a link between the outside world and the inner me and how I want other people to see me."

Liu received his first big career award, the British Goldsmith Craftsmanship and Design Award, when he was studying at the university, making him the first Chinese gold medallist in Britain's highest-level jewelry contest in its 100-year history.

Five years after he graduated he launched his own company, Fei Liu Fine Jewelry, and opened a jewelry store in Birmingham.

His talent and hard work have greatly raised his profile in British fashion circles and enabled him to become a major player in Birmingham's jewelry industry, and Fei Liu Jewelry is now recognized as a growing British designer brand.

He once designed a plaque for the footballer David Beckham, and his jewelry is frequently seen being worn by celebrities pictured in fashion magazines. They include the US actress and playwright Lisa Edelstein, the Irish broadcaster Christine Bleakley and the Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.

Liu is now building his jewelry into a high-end brand. Although there are other designers whose Chinese influences are apparent in their work, his design aesthetic differs markedly from theirs, he says.

"Of course my Chinese background influences my designs, because it's a huge part of who I am and what I believe in, but I draw my inspiration from everything around me, whether that's in the UK or if I'm back in China. It is not necessarily down to one culture, but my surroundings. Flowers and nature form a large part of my influence as I believe they perfectly represent the femininity I try to portray in my pieces."

Pushing design boundaries strengthens a jewelry brand and gives it longevity, and Chinese jewelry makers need to learn that from their British counterparts, he says.

"One of the main things that hobbles the growth of China's domestic brands is the tendency to be derivative of other designers, but what I have found in Britain is that those kinds of designs don't sell well, whereas new and innovative ones fly off the shelves."

Fei Liu Fine Jewelry has about 50 stockists in Britain, Ireland and France, and has previously been stocked in upmarket department stores such as Harrods, Liberty and Harvey Nichols. In China, it was the first British jewelry brand to have a standalone store in Beijing, as well as various concessions.

Facing competition from established jewelry brands, Liu believes that setting yourself apart from others is imperative.

"We cannot compare ourselves to the likes of Tiffany or Cartier, as they have been around for so many years in so many countries that it would be silly to consider what we do to be the same. Although we have part of the same target market, we are happy with our current positioning, and our smaller yet powerful presence works very well for our bespoke service. We are a well-known designer brand but still have the personal element that you don't get with the larger brands.

"As a small creative business I think one of the biggest problems is how to have a strategy that helps us stay focused, and at the same time that keeps us creative when we present ourselves in the market place."

The jewelry industry, with its myriad styles and customers with varying tastes, can continue to expand to make room for more designers, Liu says. He is thrilled to see Chinese students coming to Britain to study art and design and wants more young Chinese with a passion for jewelry design to study in Europe, he says.

"I think European methods of teaching get students to think of their own designs and develop their creativity, and that makes for strong designers. I reckon, too, that an Eastern heritage combined with a Western education gives designers an edge that can help them get work worldwide."

"I have always wanted to work on both sides of the ocean, allowing me to work as a cultural bridge to make people better understand each other's cultures. So I plan to remain in Britain, but at the same time, China will always be home for me."

The more Chinese designers are pushed to create pieces that are innovative and not copies of other brands, the more the Chinese jewelry market will thrive, Liu says.

"China has been an international manufacturer for the West for the past 20 years, and that has strongly influenced the first generation of craftsmen and designers. But they need to realize that things have changed. Jewelry buyers are willing to pay more but on true new designs rather than on copycat products."

More and more younger Chinese are searching for designs that represent themselves, and that has started to change the Chinese jewelry industry, he says.

"Many more young Chinese designers who are starting to have their own identity. It is difficult for any designer to be recognized anywhere, regardless of where you are from or what market you are in. Crossing cultural barriers is hard wherever you are from, but it only makes you and your business stronger."

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/12/2014 page15)