Meet the designers behind Fruitfool
Junyao Lin and April Chen are the design powerhouses behind Studio Ensemble - known for interesting and out-of-the-box solutions. Discover their design journey and inspirations.
Who or what inspires you?
Junyao Lin: My very first lesson on craft and aesthetics was taught by my Mom. She is a household seamstress who has to take care of four children. I grew up in a relatively poor family. So since young, we seldom have any spare cash to buy new things hence, a lot of clothes, pillow cases, rugs etc are sewed or repatched by my Mom. She will match cloth from spare materials, choose the right color of threads, and create possibilities out of nothing (monetary-wise); teaching me aesthetics in her own way.
April Chen: The collective of things, from enhancement to reality. I am especially inspired by my constant questioning of everything from alternative angles.
Who or what motivates you to work hard?
JL: It's the voice within. Somehow there is a designer voice in me that feels that it needs to be heard by the clients to help their businesses. A voice within that knows that it will bring a smile to people (through good work). I guess it works both ways then. Seeing clients and audiences happy with what SE created helps us move on and work harder.
AC: My client’s success
What has been the hardest obstacle you had to overcome?
JL: For me, I guess it's the switch from designer to a business owner. From sitting behind the computer to having to socialize and doing less design but more management. If you were to ask me, sometimes I really do miss sitting behind the computer and working only on design day and night. I wouldn’t say I had overcome it. But right I think slowly, I am walking towards it.
AC: To establish trust among variations of people we co-create with, especially the new clients.
What is the most memorable experience for you as a designer?
JL: It is quite simple for me. Seeing visitors, young and old having fun and satisfied with the exhibition designed when I was working on a project back then.
AC: That I get to meet Kobe Bryant when I was working on a project that he endorsed.
Proudest accomplishment
JL: Able to work on an exhibition project in Kaohsiung, Taiwan back in 2013. Size of half a football field. Back then I was still a designer. Grateful for the experience. Still recall how we work over the night in Kaohsiung in the cool weather. Seeing how the event was set up from ground zero to seeing the visitors having fun in the space. Oh. Not forgetting that is also where I met my wife.
AC: To me, every project that we managed to send out of our production line made me feel super accomplished, no matter big or small, or in any medium.
What would be the dream gig?
JL: An exhibition design for masses around the neighborhood. Able to see old and young playing around the exhibition. Able to hear the laughter of families. Able to bring the exhibition from country to country and unite the alike. But funny enough, I’m not sure what the content should be. Haha.
AC: Mine would be to design something for a female-focused audience, especially
those that bring the value of self-empowerment and gender equity.
Do you have any cool plans or projects for 2022?
JL: Honestly, I wanted to do something with NFT or blockchain. But haven’t had any cool ideas yet.
(*knock knock*) Open to any collaborations, anyone?
AC: I am designing an event that will be happening at the atrium of Paragon, which has been my wish for many years.
Hobbies
JL: I keep tree frogs as my pet and enjoy doing up their “aquarium” with plants. Sounded pretty old I know. That is actually my weekend therapeutic class. Immerse myself in the zone. I like also documentaries of any kind; still recall in secondary school I will wait for 9 pm in front of Channel 12 back in the day for documentary programmes. Perhaps that helps me in settling my curiosity about the world.
AC: Beauty, wellness, and skincare, I love how irrelevant that sounds (secret smiles)
What is one thing you cannot live without?
JL: Daydreaming.
AC: My hp & my chou chou.