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Meet three Asian design stars who are writing the next chapter of their families’ legacies
ROYAL SELANGOR
MALAYSIA
A household name in Malaysia, Royal Selangor began its story in 1885 when founder Yong Koon established a company centred on pewter accessories and objets d’art. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the company has expanded globally with stores from Beijing to Bucharest, but behind the curtain it remains very much a family affair.
Today, the company is run by fourth-generation descendants of the founder, led by cousins Yong Yoon Li and Chen Tien Yue. Yong, as managing director, oversees all Royal Selangor activities, while Chen, as executive director, is responsible for sales and finance.
Both began their careers elsewhere. Yoon spent a decade working in prestige motorsports, while Chen worked at Mckinsey. “Only in the mid-2000s were we both invited to return and join the family business after gaining skills and experience from other companies,” says Yoon.
Steering a heritage brand has its fair share of challenges and Yoon and Chen have worked to ensure its relevance through partnerships with the National Palace Museum of Taiwan, The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum; they’ve also embarked on artistic collaborations with Chinese sculptor Xu Xiaoyong and Singaporean designer Jarrod Lim, whose Crystalline collection won the Tableware International Awards of Excellence in 2018.
While Yoon acknowledges the unpredictability of the global climate today, he is confident about the collectible nature of Royal Selangor’s products. “Our licensing work has the potential to grow, so we will continue collaborating with Marvel, Warner Brothers,
Star Wars and Medicom Toy to create more products and limited editions. We will be rebuilding our retail network in a new format after the pandemic and opening our new store in Battersea Power Station, London.” royalselangor.com
KERNEL FURNITURE
SINGAPORE
You could say that Jason Song was born to be in the furniture industry, given that his father Dexter
Song founded Vhive, a leading Singapore furniture manufacturer. His journey, however, took a few twists and turns. In 2011, he quit his advertising job to create branding agency Acre with partner Zheng Tianyu. A few years later, he established another company, Kaizen Architecture, a collaboration with architect Melvin Keng.
Acre and Kaizen Architecture worked on some projects together, then jointly created Cactuss, a multi-concept store in Chengdu and Kunming, China. In 2020, after Cactuss won a Good Design Award for interior design, Song decided it was time to take another plunge. “You tend to worry about different things other than your own ambition once you’re responsible for the livelihood of others, but you always remember what you want to do above all else. For me, that was always furniture,” says Song.
In June, Song, Zheng and
Keng launched Kernel Furniture. Song envisions Kernel as a way to democratise access to well-made furniture while deepening the consumer’s connection to the creative process. He is introducing hand-picked brands to the
Singapore market, beginning with Ishinomaki Lab and Matsuso, both from Japan. “Whether it’s born out of the adversity of the Tohoku earthquake, as with Ishinomaki Lab, or a traditional furniture maker like Matsuso that uses age-old Japanese joinery techniques, we enjoy telling the stories behind each design and, of course, the dedication of the craftsman that brings the pieces to life.”
The company is also planning an in-house line in collaboration with architect Keiji Ashiwara, Kernel+, which focuses on flat-pack furniture, an area of expertise for Song’s father’s manufacturing business. “Our homes have become the default restaurant, workplace and childcare centre,” Song says. “Spaces that were not always designed for flexibility of use are now being re-looked at. This shift should see a boom in demand for the furniture industry.” kernelfurniture.com
BAEA
HONG KONG
Born in Hong Kong to a family who have worked in the design industry for more than three generations, Adah Chan was exposed to exquisite craftsmanship from a young age. Her grandfather Poon Yan Chan ran a textile manufacturing company, and her mother Christine Chan evolved the family business into retail in
1985, opening the Bed & Bath luxury housewares brand, which has a boutique at Prince’s Building.
Growing up, Chan always loved visiting factories, calling them “places where the magic happens”.
“I’ve always been really fascinated by how things are made. The most interesting aspect for me is how design becomes a product.” The founder of bedding and homeware brand Baea, she spent her 20s sourcing linens in Asia and Europe for the likes of Ralph Lauren Home, then left the industry for a while to dabble in food and hospitality. Baea was a homecoming of sorts, both to the trade and to Hong Kong, where she moved permanently from Canada in April 2020. “I’ve realised how cool it is to start a company in something you grew up in. The foundation is laid, and I know the product well, so I’m more confident on how to bring it to the next level,” says Chan.
The name Baea is inspired by her childhood home between Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay, and also alludes the company’s pursuit of sustainability. She and her partner,
Catherine Reeves, spent more than a year choosing the best organic fabrics. “It’s very important, as the fabric is the canvas which we build the design around,” says Chan.
Baea’s sheets are made of organic cotton from Portugal and Italy, certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard. The collections are rooted in nature—from the designs of rocks and meadows to the plant-based buttons used to adorn the sheets. Baea works with embroiderers from the Philippines as well as artisans like Madda Studio to create accessories and home textiles. “I believe that making things that last is a big part of sustainability today,” Chan says. “I got this philosophy from my mother.”
Launching a business during a pandemic is a challenge for any entrepreneur, but in some ways starting out in 2020 was beneficial, as people were spending more time in their homes and investing in their decor. Last November, she ran successful pop-up Home Rituals with other like-minded brands; this month, Baea is collaborating with Asaya at the Rosewood Hong Kong on another pop-up showcasing spaces that improve well-being.
“Returning to Hong Kong as an entrepreneur has been fascinating,” she says. “It’s a city where things can happen fast, if you put your mind to it. I feel really supported by the creative community here.” baea.com
Hong Kong-based brand Baea makes sustainable bedding and homewares. Opposite page: Adah Chan, the founder of Baea