ON LUXURY
FROM CIGAR COLLECTIONS TO SNEAKERS, SKI GEAR TO ARCADES, there’s a world within every Pinel et Pinel trunk. The luxury brand founded by Fred Pinel is known for imaginative iterations of the luggage; among his bespoke creations are a sneaker trunk for Michael Jordan, and another featuring a gaming arcade complete with Pac-Man and Space Invaders. We speak to Fred on luxury, his creative process, and what sets Hong Kong – home of the first Pinel et Pinel store in Asia – apart from the European market.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TURN TRUNKS INTO A FORM OF FURNITURE? I don’t think I transform trunks into furniture. I think they’re made the same way. If someone wants a trunk for travelling, I’ll make it for them. If they don’t, I’ll do ‘furniture’, without wheels.
DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN PROCESS. I take a shower. (Laughs) Once I do something, it’s very easy, because everything is possible. For example, a trunk for a small motorbike – if we want to do that, why not? Whoever says ‘no’ will not be able to do it. Because I’m still alive at the moment, I can create what I want. Everything is possible for me.
HOW DO YOU SEE PINEL ET PINEL IN THE HOMES OF HONGKONGERS? It depends. My clients have large spaces – they give me the details and I create a trunk for them. But they’re not the only market – if they prefer something smaller, we can do it. Small is still beautiful.
WHAT DIFFERENCES DO YOU OBSERVE BETWEEN THE ASIAN AND EUROPEAN MARKETS? I think the difference is that in Asia, you are more colourful, preferring lots of bright colours rather than brown and black. In France – in Europe – they prefer dark colours. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING: LUXURY IS _____. Simple. STYLE IS _____. Personal.
不論是雪茄、波鞋、雪具，又或是遊戲設備，法國奢華品牌Pinel et Pinel總能為你製作稱心滿意的收藏櫃。創辦人Fred Pinel以經典的行李箱為創作靈感，重新演繹時尚獨特的家品裝飾。其中包括為Michael Jordan定制的鞋櫃及能夠重溫吃豆人和太空侵略者等遊戲的街機櫃。以下Fred與我們分享他對奢華的見解、設計過程，在香港開設首間Pinel et Pinel亞洲區專門店的原因。
把箱櫃變作傢具的靈感從何而來？實際上，兩者的製作過程大同小異。若客人喜歡周遊列國的感覺，它便是一個行李箱櫃；不然，這便是一件沒有輪子的「傢具」。
請向我們分享你的設計過程。我會先洗澡(笑說)。我堅信萬事皆可能，設計是一件簡單不過的事情。舉例來說，為摩托車添上一個小箱櫃並非天馬行空的構想。只要每刻都充滿創作熱誠，又為何不可？只要我仍然活著，就能夠繼續創作下去。
你認為產品如何巧妙裝飾香港家居？我認為情況各異。部分客人的家居較為寬敞。只要根據他們的喜好即可製作出度身訂造的產品。另一方面，品牌亦會照顧其他客人的需要，創作精緻小巧的作品。事實上，小巧玲瓏的設計同樣美麗。
你認為歐洲和亞洲市場之間存在什麼差異？在亞洲，人們比較喜歡色彩繽紛的風格；在法國和其他歐洲國家，人們偏愛深沉的色調，黑色和啡色均備受歡迎。請回答以下問題：你認為奢華是？簡約便是奢華。風格是什麼？風格是展現個人態度的方法。