THE EMOTIONAL DESIGNER

As the Artistic Director, CEO and co-owner of Chinese luxury brand Shang Xia, Jiang Qiong Er dreams of sparking a renaissance for Chinese craftsmanship in contemporary lifestyle.

- LOW SHI PING

WHO IS JIANG QIONG ER: On paper, she is Artistic Director, CEO and co-owner of Shang Xia. This is a Chinese luxury brand, 90 percent backed by French maison Hermès, that offers a range of products including furniture and homeware, and will open a boutique in Singapore in April. But Jiang is so much more. She is responsible for conceptualising the brand when it was founded in 2009, setting its direction and that of all its collections in the past 11 years. You could say it is an acumen borne from her background as a jewellery and interior designer. Part of it is also nature – she descends from a grandfather who was a prolific artist, and parents who were both architects. In fact, her father designed the renowned Shanghai Museum in China.

WHAT IS SHANG XIA: