Good Fortune
Thierry Chow incorporates modern design with feng shui teachings to make the ancient practice more accessible and relatable to our current times
With her bicolour bob and trendy threads, Thierry Chow looks every inch the stylish, well-travelled urbanite. But few would be able to guess her chosen profession at first sight. Even for the daughter of Chow Hon Ming, one of Hong Kong’s most respected feng shui masters, entering the family trade was honestly “the last thing on (her) mind”.
After completing her undergraduate studies in applied illustration in Toronto, Canada, Chow returned to Hong Kong “so unhappy with my job and life in general” until her father suggested that she take on an apprenticeship with him in 2010. For the first few years, she worked almost everyday with her father while learning more about the teachings of feng shui. “Getting to understand my father’s work, his communication skills and passion has been super helpful in my own growth and my journey of finding myself as well,” says Chow. “It felt so right and I haven’t looked back (since).”
Describing her role as a “feng shui designer”, Chow aims to make the ancient method of feng shui more accessible and appealing to a wider audience by incorporating elements of art, fashion and design into her work. “The goal is to change the perception of feng shui with these relatable subjects to let everyone understand the effects that our environment can have on our well being,” says Chow, who started her own practice, Go Lucky by Thierry Chow, in 2019.
Furnishings are thoughtfully selected for each home, drawing from its personal significance to the owner while being informed by the emotional impact of colour. “We focus a lot on symbolism and the message that an object can hold,” she explains. “I always encourage everyone to place a picture or piece of art that sparks positive emotions—be it an inspirational painting, grandma’s quilt or a cute teddy bear from your childhood—whatever makes you smile.”
Her most recent projects infuse feng shui principles into daily objects she had designed. These include a jade capsule collection created with Samuel Kang for the Lane Crawford department store in Hong Kong, as well as her own Go Lucky line of home decor. “Jade is traditionally believed to be lucky as it absorbs negative energy of the person wearing it, so we designed modern jade rings with feng shui philosophy to add a second layer or meaning to jade,” she shares. “And the Go Lucky Home Art decorations were inspired by traditional feng shui objects that each help bring positive energy into a space; the idea was to bring the concept closer to us that feng shui can be applied to modern design.”
“We focus a lot on symbolism and the message that an object can hold”