I’m honoured to introduce you to Annching Wang – fashion designer, aspiring photographer, entrepreneur and blogger – for the final interview in July’s 30 Days of Drawing project. I absolutely admire Annching’s work ethic; her eye for colour and tactility, as seen in her garments for self-founded company Parker & Muse and in her aesthetically delicious design blog; and her inspirational & mighty realistic dream-chasing…
Annching Wang
We spoke about her attitudes towards drawing and textiles, how she manages her hectic schedule, her views on contemporary art and luxury, and her new line-in-development – NUFAE – launching Spring 2011.
You’re a designer, blogger, artist. This might seem like an obvious question, but I reckon everyone’s answer would be a little different: how does drawing inform your work?
Drawing, for me, is the moment before “everything else” comes in to inform my work as a designer aside from raw inspiration. As a designer, the main thing we think about is whether our designs will be bought by the target consumer. Before all that comes in, I draw to test out ideas, see ideas start to form on paper. I think imagination is where it all starts, and drawing is the first realization of that. That’s why we all draw as kids. Drawing, to me, is also very relaxing – it’s when I really let loose before “design” starts.
How long have you been drawing? Can you describe one of your first drawing memories?
Since I was a kid, earliest memory, I don’t know, it’s all kind of a mish-mash. I do remember winning a contest when I was 8. I had no idea at the time that I had even entered something, but I got a letter afterwards congratulating me. It was a proud moment.
Do you think it’s possible for anyone to learn to draw, kinda like riding a bike, or do you have to have a knack for it? Or is it a bit of both, perhaps?
I definitely think its a bit of both. I think some people naturally have an eye for drawing like I did when I was a kid. I can say though that without constant practice, the person who has perseverance will reign over anyone else. Especially in drawing and art being as objective as it is, people I find respond far more to passion than they do to technical skill. I think passion adds exponentially to skill. Also, willingness to learn and risk-taking counts for something.
What comes first for you, drawing or working with fabric? Do you tend to draw out designs before making them, or are the two processes interchangeable?
Definitely interchangeable. I go back and forth between the two constantly until the two meld perfectly with my vision. I think I usually start with really rough designs and a rough idea of fabrics. Then I usually go out and find fabrics. At this point is where I really get inspired with textiles, and that’s when I find most of my designs become realized. And then I keep going and going until it all fits together; it’s a very organic and free process. I can never really imagine how something is going to turn out until the fabrics.
Do you think art/fashion is a luxury or a necessity?
Both. To me, art is more of a luxury and that is why I got into design, because for me it is a way to translate artistic idea and inspiration into something that people can wear. And going deeper, I think there is still a divergence – Clothing is a necessity, fashion is a luxury. When I design, I try to aim for luxury that satisfies the necessary, more abstract needs that we have as humans; beauty, practicality, and story. But really, the ability to enjoy fashion is open to everyone, a necessity that anyone can turn into a luxury, and that’s what creativity and expression is all about. Luxury isn’t money; to me it is abstract value, whether it’s emotive or practical.
Annching Wang: Nufae x Ohkuol Photo Shoot 2010
Why do you think there has been such a resurgence of interest in traditional methods and techniques, such as drawing, painting and etching in recent contemporary art?
I liken this to what has happened in the fashion industry. We’ve become so commercialized and “fast” fashion really has made its name in the industry. There is only so far we can go before we can’t go any faster. So I think people, designers, are consciously trying to meet the unrealized needs of the populous, to bring back traditional methods in a modern way, whether in design, production, or both. (See: P.S. I Made This, and Etsy). Old is new again because we have become so used to fast fashion that perhaps designers feel a certain ennui – how do all the small designers who have something to say compete with the big players like Zara and H&M? They don’t. Instead, they find their own niches. No one can do it faster and cheaper, and consumers have gotten so used to this fast fashion economy. Value has to come from something else.
I’m not a fine artist, but I think overall the reason why there is a resurgence of interest in traditional methods is the same; it’s a way of fighting back against the big players who have monopolized the industry and commercialized it until one almost feels as if there is no more magic left in art or design.
This is something that affects my work as a designer. I’m always thinking, what can I do that no one else can do exactly the way I do it? What brings me joy so that I can translate this joy into clothing for others?
Are you interested in any contemporary studio artists that use drawing as a primary medium? Which artists , illustrators or designers (of any medium) are you currently watching?
I’m constantly being inspired by the work of other artists. I think I may be a little biased because of my work, but I am really interested in the resurgence of fashion illustration – there is something about it that fashion photography cannot emulate. I like commercial work because it is a dialogue between artist and consumer. Currently I’m a fan of Kelly Smith, Marian Bantjes, and Ken Lum. In the fashion industry, I am always in awe of what they do in couture, and I think especially as a designer it is important to be watching what’s going on in many creative industries, on different levels from mass to niche to high end to thrift.
Latest photo shoot: image credit: Map Group (http://mapgroup.ca)
How do you time-manage working on your many projects? What, if anything, do you do to relax?
Calendars and to-do lists. I have a system that I think works for me. Aside from my work as a designer and blogger, I also have a full-time job in the wedding photography industry, so I really do have to manage my time well. Actually right now it’s wedding season, so I’m working 6 days a week, full days. I focus when I work, relax when it’s time to relax. I’m pretty good at compartmentalizing, but that’s probably why sometimes I act like an absent-minded professor! I love to read all sorts of things and watch movies. I’m not really discriminatory when it comes to what goes into my head, but I’m pretty strict about how I turn that into what I produce. But because fashion and business is my passion, I think almost everything I do either directly is productive or indirectly (or at least, I like to think so!) And I hate to say it, but I window-shop, a lot!
What drawing/art/design projects are you working on at the moment? Do you have any upcoming events we should know about or things we can buy?
I am currently in the design and sampling process for my debut collection, NUFAE, which will be available to buy online through a boutique launching February of next year. It’ll be the culmination of my vision of fashion, so watch for it. You can sign up for my mailing list at http://www.nufae.com. That’s pretty much all I’m working on in the wee hours of the night after I get off work.
Finally, I’d love it if you would care to set my readers, and I, a Parker and Muse style drawing challenge, to inspire us to keep going with our 30 Days of Drawing…
Picture your ultimate outfit. What would you wear if you could wear anything in the world – if money was no object, if there were no social rules. Draw yourself as a fashion illustration depicting this outfit.
Want more fashion? Follow Annching Wang on Twitter, or subscribe to her beautiful blog…
