Sitting Down with Winnie Yue and Vincent Lim of SaloneSatellite

A celebration of creativity and innovation, SaloneSatellite marks 25 years of nurturing key talent with its launch in Hong Kong. Editor WINNIE YUE and curator VINCENT LIM think about its effect on the whole world.

SaloneSatellite, a platform that has nurtured emerging talent for 25 years, is making its debut in Hong Kong. A gathering of creative and brilliant visionaries, this event unites this city in the world of design. Hosting the event are Winnie Yue, editor and curator of bespoke interiors, and architect Vincent Lim of interior design firm, Lim + Lu.

What are your goals and vision for bringing SaloneSatellite to Hong Kong?

Winnie Yue: I have been going to SaloneSatellite Milan since the 1990s and I was always impressed by the creativity and boundary-breaking qualities of the designs displayed there. I want to share that sense of wonder with Hong Kong audiences and immerse them in the world’s architectural landscape. Most people haven’t heard of SaloneSatellite, and I want to change that. I want people to appreciate design more, and for those who have always wanted to go to Salone Milan, I want to simplify it and bring it to them.

Vincent Lim: Our main vision is to highlight what Hong Kong design is all about. As curators, our job is to create a visual representation of design, as well as to cultivate new generations of Hong Kong designers to have their own design identity. How do you see SaloneSatellite changing the landscape of Hong Kong? WY: It is a momentous occasion for Salone to celebrate its 25th anniversary in Hong Kong. It has never shown itself here before, only in Shanghai. For this reason, I hope it can handle the Hong Kong market, as well as the rest of Asia, and become more popular. I want people – the common man, design lovers and emerging designers – to be aware of this exhibition and its international influence participating in the design scene in Hong Kong. My job is to bring a global design platform here for a local audience to experience.

What motivates you to work on bringing SaloneSatellite to Hong Kong audiences?

WY: Through it all, I feel like everything comes naturally to me; I love design and I love it so much, so why not use that energy to share my passions with others? The confidence Salone has in me is a huge driving force. I am grateful that that trust has been placed in me to ensure that I deliver the renowned Salone experience in Hong Kong. Most importantly, it is the influence of Salone that makes me want to share it with the world; its collection of international design ideas can be used as an inspiration in the design process in Asia and Hong Kong, in the same way as Scandinavian architecture has an influence around the world.

VL: To me, it’s just the idea of ​​”East meets West”. I think it has always been difficult to identify Hong Kong design in the same way that it is easy to identify Scandinavian, Danish or Japanese architecture, because of its unique cultural aspects. They all have a very strong identity, whereas Hong Kong doesn’t have a strong design language. By bringing SaloneSatellite to Hong Kong, I would like to bring different aspects of international architecture that local designers can be inspired by and create their own unique language that reflects the city in a wonderful way.

What makes Hong Kong the perfect city to host this event?

WY: Hong Kong is the pinnacle of Asian country creation. I feel Hong Kong’s influence is rising in terms of the art and design scene; we had Art Basel and Center Stage, both of which were very successful on a larger scale. I also feel that Hong Kong is an international place, where people from all over the world come to mix and mingle, and call this place their home. Hong Kong is very welcoming, and as a result has a great opportunity to unleash the power we want when it comes to expanding our influence.

VL: With the recent recognition of Art Basel and M+, Hong Kong has become a major art hub and there is a growing awareness of design and culture. This provides a good background for the city to host the First Permanent Collection of SaloneSatellite, as I think that many of these artistic events should take place to develop the enjoyment of art and design. Hong Kong’s art scene is also “East meets West”, making it the perfect meeting place to bring the two cultures together.

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What can we expect from the 25th annual SaloneSatellite show?

WY: Salone is the best design, so expect nothing more than inspiration. This display shows the plan from 1998 to 2024, so it’s a reflection of the plan’s growth. There will be more than 100 pieces from Milan, and a range of different products, such as different lamps, chairs and other small items.

VL: We intended SaloneSatellite to be different but still attractive; so there will be an organized mixture of many kinds of things. With the pieces of furniture, they are all different in style and really reflect the breadth and depth of Hong Kong’s design style.

As a curator and organizer, how do you see yourself working together with Lim + Lu and Design Annex to bring this exhibition to life?

WY: I am glad that the interior design firm Lim + Lu was involved in helping me curate this exhibition, because it can give a different perspective on design from the point of view of the new generation. It’s refreshing to see how young designers approach their work today, and that diversity in design can bring together different ideas.

How have the awards and accolades received by Lim + Lu affected the way you approach your work?

VL: We are not very good people, so we keep things the same; Our work does not change awards before or after. However, the most rewarding part of our work is the trust placed in us to design the most intimate aspects of human habitation. Being invited to someone else’s place is special, more than being trusted to design something personal is the most satisfying part of our job. It’s a privilege to be able to be a source of original ideas, as someone said, “I grew up in my childhood home and I loved it,” and we designed that home.

How do you adapt Lim + Lu’s work to suit different cultural contexts?

VL: When working across cultures, it’s important to adapt your designs to the daily activities of people in that culture. We had a piece – a brass cover used for seating – originally designed for the Hong Kong market, but when the piece sparked interest in the Danish brand, we had to change the whole design to agreed with the Danish beauty, which means we had it. replacing the copper part with natural wood. It’s the little things that make a big difference.

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How has your career changed?

WY: I started in the world of design more than 30 years ago, and now I am the founder and director of the International Design Furniture Fair Hong Kong, which started in 2015. I am very grateful to have the influence and the opportunity to share my ideas . a great desire to create with others, that is why I am a big advocate of creative education.

VL: Looking back, there is a lot of growth that has happened in my journey. As a small developer, we are very focused on low-end owners and using as little detail as possible. As our practice grows, we are exposed to design and its cycles, and we get used to the idea that the more details that are used in our designs, the more thought goes into them. I think I’m always evolving more and more through natural cycles, not that we follow trends, but we’re choosing and immersing ourselves in every design influence we come across. .

Are there any future goals or exciting projects that you are excited about?

WY: I have focused all my energy on organizing SaloneSatellite. This year’s exhibition will be a little different, as I usually do my exhibitions at HKCEC, but the Salone will be held at the Arts Pavilion in West Kowloon. This is my most exciting project to date, and I am very happy to be a part of something international and influential.

VL: We want to expand our practice a bit at Lim + Lu. Since our portfolio is interior, we want to go back to our roots in furniture design and exhibit at shows like SaloneSatellite. We want to get back into creating other products, and furniture fairs are a great way to get back into product design.

What advice do you have for young aspiring designers?

WY: My only advice for aspiring designers is to take advantage of every opportunity for exposure. I also hope that people will be more independent and not follow many trends, because then they will end up doing something that is now popular. As Steve Jobs always said, “Stay hungry, stay stupid.” It’s important to always be hungry for ideas and always eager to stay creative and silly.

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