Visit COLDFRAME at Tempo Design Store
This year marks the tenth year anniversary of your brand COLDFRAME. We are
excited to hear about any special plans and events you have coming up to
celebrate the ten years?
We are planning to open an offline showroom, which we once opened for a year right after our brand launch which was 10 years ago, in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Our brand, which started as a showroom in Seoul in 2014, has been running a showroom for just one year since our opening, and since then, we have been selling our products online, offline editing shops, department stores, and duty-free shops, wondering what the best showroom for us would be. And with our 10th anniversary, it is now the most important plan for us to open a showroom because we think we should have a proper showroom that presents our brand in various ways.
While closing the showroom and doing sales in department stores, inevitably "making and selling perfect products without flaws" was the most important issue so far. On the contrary, the "fun and creative" work done in the showroom 10 years ago became negligible. And this is one of the reasons of our great desire to open a showroom, to regain it. We plan to showcase special, interesting jewelry and objects in the showroom that only COLDFRAME can do.
How has the brand changed and evolved in the last ten years?
With 10-years, the major change is COLDFRAME evolving from a "workshop" operated by a single worker who did the entire process from design, work, photography, customer consultation, and courier delivery, a small brand that only I could think of, to a business responsible for the living of dozens of people every month.
Because of this, I am not as free as before, but the responsibility and sincerity that I have created have become important factors in developing myself. And now I don't think there is anything as great as sincerity and consistency, which I never thought of before. No splendid design or idea is complete without sincerity and consistency. And when it comes to product development, when I was crafting the jewelry by myself, I couldn't technically implement the design I thought of in my head, but the biggest difference is that now I can actually implement most of the ideas in my head with the help of many artisans in our factory.
Finally, 10 years as a designer, art director and a brand representative, I have finally learned a little bit of what I like, what I am good at, and how I want to pursue my future. Therefore, I am going to shift and change COLDFRAME in my way from now on, not getting influenced by others. I am a designer and an entrepreneur, but more than this, I want to become a modern artist who loves the beauty hidden in the
past.
How does Korean culture shape the identity of your brand?
Korea has many people with delicate and sophisticated senses. Since the Korean War and with the rapid development, there has been fewer opportunities to actually express the good senses in reality compared to Japan, but I am sure that there are enough young people in Korea to solidify more beautiful Korean original cultures in the future, and I am really excited to see that in real life.
In addition, there is a phrase, "Dynamic Korea" showing Korea's characteristic culture, which is changing rapidly. This may have many disadvantages, but it also served as a good point for me to quickly change and develop the brand and my work.
How does Korean traditional craft culture shape the identity and design of your brand?
I love the golden artifacts of the Silla Dynasty and I recently started collecting white porcelain (moon jar) from the Joseon Dynasty. And some of our products are designed like the Korean traditional jewelry made of jade, as I thought this design was considered "splendid and retro." I cannot guarantee how it affected my identity, but traditional Korean crafts and its culture exist in my bookshelf, in my head, and in real life.
Describe to us how it is like to visit the factory of COLDFRAME? How many
people are crafting the products?
A total of about thirty artisans are working hard to craft our jewelry and if you visit the factory, you will feel that the scale is larger than expected. And characteristically, technicians in their 50s and 60s with decades of experience are producing our jewelry.
What is your perspective on the natural power / energy of crystals, minerals and precious metals?
I am one of the very believers in nature's energy. The reason why I rarely use artificially made lab-diamonds or cubics in my jewelry and mainly use natural gemstones is linked to the reason of myself thinking - if jewelry doesn't have a "story" and "power", it's an industrial accessory, not a jewelry.
I believe the meaning of natural minerals greatly affects the story and power of jewelry. Since ancient times, people wear black onyx necklaces to protect themselves when they go to war. And when they get married, they exchange rubies meaning red heart, and until now diamonds and sapphires are given in the wedding. These are not just coincidences, I love gemstones with this meaning and power.
I'm not married yet, but when I get married, I plan to craft and wear a ring set with three to five precious gemstones that I've bought myself.
How did COLDFRAME start in 2014?
My major was graphic design, which is an attractive work, but I was not very interested in working with the 2D plane. So I took a break from school and thought about what kind of profession I want to do. After experiencing many fields such as photography and leather-working, I started crafting jewelry when participating in a ring making class for several months.
Compared to the work of leather crafts that gives you extreme tension throughout the work as it requires you to restart all your work with just one mistake, the metal crafting was much generous as it can be repaired at any time even if a mistake occurs along the way.
The most significant reason for me choosing this work was the attractiveness that the materials of silver, gold, and gemstones gave me. After one year of training and crafting for twelve hours every day, I have finally launched COLDFRAME in the following year without learning jewelry design.
How does nature influence your work?
Calla Calyx Ring is one example of my favorite works influenced by nature. The ring, which was born with a very difficult technique of burning the petals of Calarilly and shooting the casting with silver, was born after hundreds of failures. The very attractive part for me was that I made a ring that seems very strong with the material of very fragile petals. The thought that I carry all the time is that "it is difficult to make something as beautiful as natural objects".
How do seasons influence your work?
I was born in winter and the winter season is the most energizing period for me when most people might think the opposite. I love everything about winter.
Describe to us the positive contributions that COLDFRAME makes to the world.
I think I need to think about the positive effects that our brand can have to the world for a long time. If there anything I can tell you right now, we are producing things that are less polluting the environment as silver, gold, and gemstones are eternal objects, priceless and indispensable.
Is the concept of natural patina and wabi-sabi relevant to COLDFRAME?
Most of COLDFRAME’s jewelries are made of silver. And silver is characterized by oxidation when it encounters air. Because of this feature, some of our pieces show more glam after they get oxidizes. Jewelry is an object that does not weather forever. Therefore, I believe Jewelry and Wabi-sabi are connected.
As COLDFRAME expands to Switzerland, can we expect any special events
coming next year?
COLDFRAME to launch in Switzerland is a very interesting thing that I didn't expect, and our team was and is actually very happy and excited about going into Switzerland. If we have a chance, we would like to have a pop-up store in Europe next year.
Describe your design process, do you like to sketch by hand on paper, do you
use 3D models?
I make a very concise sketches on paper. Unrecognizable to others. The purpose of the sketch is for me to not to forget the design in my head that has emerged, and for the original work, I work in 3D models.
Are you more influenced by the past or the future? Or equally both?
I feel like I'm getting more influenced by the past. I actually like vintage jewelry, furniture, etc., and get a lot of inspiration from them. I don't think I focus on the future as much as I ponder the past and present.
Does the concept of natural living, slow life, living a minimal lifestyle with high
quality goods, owning fewer but better-quality things that are repairable, fit with the philosophy of COLDFRAME?
I live in apartment surrounded by Namsan Mountain, the landmark of Seoul, and it is just a minute walk to the biggest national park in Seoul, Namsan Park. I accidentally came across this apartment in my mid twenties, and was fascinated by the feeling of the Namsan Mountain hugging this residencial area. About five years later, I ended up living in this apartment, and I received a lot of comfort in this cozy home. I walk my two dogs to Namsan Mountain every day and this is one of the most important routines for me. I think this life is portrayed in my designs. I am not interested in trends, but I focus on “design that lasts forever”.
"The life style of minimalist with only high quality products" is actually a phrase explaining my lifestyle. I am a designer working in fashion industry, but I only purchase two to three clothes a year, and still wear clothes and shoes that I used to wear twenty years ago. When choosing the clothes, bag or shoes, I always question myself "Can I wear this until I become a grandmother."
The biggest reasons of me choosing to craft jewelry is the fact that jewelry is one of the only products that lasts forever. Silver, gold and gemstones last forever and once living through one person's life, this small but precious piece can be passed on to another person as well. In fact, our customers also think of our jewelries as precious for a long time. Some of them still ask for repairs for their eight to nine year old jewelry, and they have those pieces until now. This idea of longevity, was something I wanted our brand to have. Although I must sell many jewelry pieces to maintain our brand, having a few but forever lasting things are sufficient in my life.
Do you have any special collaborations with other brands and designers along
the way?
I want to do more collaborations with foreign brands. What I am thinking of now is a Japanese perfume brand. I think scent and jewelry are alike as they are very sensual and personal. Jewelry and perfume are the last touches before leaving the house. Also, I personally love ceramics, so I want to make and sell ceramics such as bowls and cups in the showroom that we are planning to open in the future. So, if we have a chance, I want to collaborate with brands that do ceramics. I would be happy to collaborate in other creative projects as well, not just these two ideas.
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