Shih Hao Yeh / Sense 30 Co-Founder
What We Talk About When We Talk About Bikes
Ever since his father gave him an old Kawasaki, Shih harbored a love for fixing things. He loved retro bikes like nothing else, and when people suggested him to buy one, he insisted that building one is not the same. Some passion lasts a lifetime.
We all return to our first love perhaps. For ten years after graduation, Shih and his friends developed their career in the creative industry, but they eventually opened Sense 30 in the year they turned 30. Although not everyone is fond of Sense 30’s style, they stood out in their uniqueness. Shih said some even asked if they were cosplayers, but eventually, it grew on the doubters. Maybe one day we all become immune to judgements, and by then we truly live our dreams.
Why did you bring this style to Taiwan?
I used to play with this since back when I was a college student, so we didn’t really "brought it in". Some people love biking, but we turn it into a new style. For instance, many people around the world love collecting retro bikes. If we want to turn the retro style into our own style of bikes, we might make the link between the bike and clothing style and so on. (People can take this bike to picnic, or present it at a bike exhibition even.) So this is different than merely treating bikes as a tool for transportation. It is a ‘conversion’ we make when we design.
Why are you keen on take inspiration from other medium and incorporate different styles into bikes?
This may be related to me being a designer. My colleague Issa also works in the creative industry, so we often find something new and see what they can become. If we focus on making things more delicate, it won’t be very good. To make things more interesting, we must transform it into something completely novel. So we experimented a lot without knowing what it will turn into in the end. For our clothing line, we basically want to make gentlemen style apparel, so we looked at how people in Britain and old European ride their bikes. A lot of people may find it really strange, or even thought that we are cosplayers. However, as time went by, more and more people found it pretty cool, and gave it a go.
How did you fall in love with this style?
I started to fall in love with the retro style way back in high school. People used to ride only scooters and I found it rather boring - everyone is doing the same thing. One day, my dad gave me an old, broken motorcycle. I thought that it would be really cool if I work on it a little. My skills are unpolished back then, and I spent 3 months on the bike. I found that ever since I was young, I love to remake and repair things. Someone said to me “Just buy a retro-bike if you love this style.” But it is just not the same. We fall in love with things when we work on it, studying its details and history. Like our “commuter series”, we want to use colors of the 60's, like white or light blue colors of Vespa. These colors tell a story. There are different colors for different eras, so some colors naturally have a retro-feel to it. It is not me randomly choose some colors that are trendy nowadays.
Some see bikes as merely a tool for transportation, or just something for sports, so we should care about its function and nothing else. What are your thoughts on this?
Actually, I don’t really like sports. Some people go biking in order to exercise. They think that bike is about ‘power’, and they focus on speed and the weight of a bike. However, we think that a bike is the something ‘romantic’. We see it as a piece of art; we want to make something special out of it. I think that the romance of bike is more direct to most people. When we see something beautiful, we find it likable, then we want to learn about its use and function.The sportive crowd may be more specialized, and they will study the tires and brands of bike. I think that for the average person those are too technical and not as ‘direct’. We want to focus on things that people can get a direct visual feel of, like the appearance of a bike, the clothes to ride the bike with, or the place for biking.
Sense 30 Official Website
Sense 30 Facebook Page
Sense 30 IG Page
Video Interview by Iris Cheung
Text by Iris Cheung
Sense 30
No. 40, Lane 417, Guangfu South Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Wong Chi Chung / HKU General Education Unit Assistant Director
The Sky’s the Limit
What do you say it’s the age limit for pursuing dreams?
If achievements were packaged food, “middle age” was the best before date printed on the plastics. But it doesn’t apply to Chi Chung, for his dream chasing knows no bounds. Since the moment he started studying communication and recommended himself for DJ, his self-made term “Academediartradexperienceducation” was like an endless python stretching all the way, and items are constantly put in and ticked off on his bucket list. He must have savoured the sweetness of success before, though I wondered why he was so intimate to me, as if we were somehow standing side by side, measuring the heights of our dreams.
He said, putting on the gentle voice I mostly heard from the radio, “The sky’ s the limit.”.
Chi Chung’s own experience convinced us that dreams could come as a thick bundle, big or small, and they gave off the smell of possibilities. He wished that as the film “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” would be celebrating its thirty-fifth anniversary next year, he could again interview Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian to realise his dreams, and at the same time sow the seeds of dream for others.
“I still have more dreams to catch”, he added enchantingly.
You’ve put “academic” foremost in your self-created word. Is it one of your biggest dreams?
Studying has always been at the top of my dream list, even though my way to it was never plain. I took the programmes in communication of Hong Kong Baptist University and learnt about films. I was very much into European films, music and cultures, and even ready to press ahead with the plan studying in some notable universities. But near the end of my programme, the Commercial Radio’s reform was underway. I received a very good offer to work as a full-time DJ, and so I stayed. Yet, I still kept my dream of studying alive. So, when someone mentioned the prominent Dr. Ng Chun Hung in the University of Hong Kong to me, I brought with me a large pile of research materials to see Dr. Ng without a second thought. And I was admitted to the MPhil programme! Those materials I’ve presented were in fact the notes for my previous TV and radio shows. I had a passion for overseas music, but I also enjoyed greatly looking into local pop music. I had a lot of thoughts about Hong Kong’s pop music development which were then made to radio programme proposals, and I’ve written scripts for “Mild Seven Vision of Music”. I did not draw a clear-cut distinction between education and media, as they were circling around the same core. In the wake of SARS, I pondered what dream of mine was yet to be fulfilled, and also was encouraged by James Wong’s perseverance to complete his degree despite his illness. As a result, I went back to my path of studying by taking a PhD degree. I haven’t really taken a day off from creating.
As a DJ, you witnessed the golden age of broadcasting and media, and also the world's transformation towards an internet era. How did you adjust to your new roles?
There was a moment when I considered my historical mission accomplished. From 2004 to 2010, I immersed myself in the dissertation, and saw how things have changed! The creation of youtube and facebook has allowed a more direct access to information for everyone than ever. At that time I reflected, did it really matter if I carried on providing commentary and as a DJ to be an opinion leader? Right after submitting my dissertation I felt like finishing off a huge task, so I returned to my radio post, treating myself as a complete novice. I have been working in this field for thirty years, and yet I am also a beginner. All my earlier projects and interviews are my assets and perks. But in the meantime, I need to enter a new world and redefine myself. We can aim at all sorts of things as long as we keep the faith. Now I am only after a slow living, with a grain of detail admiration.
You roam around the world, read a lot and connect with creative individuals. How do you convert all these precious experiences to your inspirations?
Well, I absorb like a sponge and jot them down . Because ideas do not just pop up, they have to be collected and stored away. The backpack trip made me realise that the world was so much bigger than I thought, and I felt very tiny. That’s why I yearned for travelling to places I’ve never been, and the knowledge I lacked. I went to libraries to read books and journals, thinking how they could help my assignment and how they helped me achieve my dreams. It is significant that we hear more, see more, think more and question more. Cross-generational dialogues are equally important, both in the contexts of schools and of media. Every day I wake up and tell myself that there are a lot of things that I can strive for, things I still need to find out and wonderful places to go.
So what else do you wish to give a go? Or are you developing any hobbies now?
I have been indulging in a kind of primitive surfing for ten-odd years. I have been learning it by myself since 1998 or 1999, and this hobby has motivated me to stay physically fit. So I go swimming in the morning regularly, and while I swim I imagine the moment of my next surfing. Another thing I learn is more on the spiritual side, that is to be patient, getting prepared both physically and mentally, after that you could simply enjoy riding the waves, and looking forward to the next ones. I have hurt myself while surfing recently and blood ran down my body, but isn’t it part of our real life? I want to surf until seventy or eighty years of age, just like some of the elderly people I meet on the Hawaii beach, because it means that I still have the ability and passion for surfing. The same applies to many other things, for example, I hope I could continue to host radio shows and dub, when others might consider my voice relevant.
You propel young people to pursue their dreams, encouraging them to experiment with new elements. What do you want to say to these dream chasers?
Don’t give up trying, for there could be more than a single dream and they are related. I always tell young people to dream big, but it is true that they will be frustrated when they are struggling to achieve it. This is exactly why we have to own a mountain of dreams, and we could start from those easier ones. When one dream is fulfilled, we will have the confidence and courage to carry on. I don’t conceal my disappointment and hitch, as it is where I discover my soul. If you have doubts about striking a balance, then grab someone with life experience (for example, me) and talk.
Can you share with us some of your inspirational objects?
A polaroid with David Bowie; David Bowie’s “Seven Years in Tibet” limited edition clear vinyl: The “Seven Years in Tibet” project in 1997 was life-changing. It turned into my motivation, proving that beliefs could actually be infectious. And it was an assurance that dreaming big could have its rewards.
Smartphone and notebook: The two worlds created by the smartphone and the notebook should co-exist and be put into good use. A smartphone is a convenience, but if the notebook is left out, we’d have forgotten how to write and draw. And of course, we can’t get enough of our phones now.
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s solo album “async”: This project was simply magical, as it was my dream to work with Sakamoto when I was around ten years old. At that time I thought his film “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” was very powerful, and I still believe so when I watch it again. The film will be having its thirty-fifth anniversary next year, and yet its concepts are very progressive, for instance, Sakamoto, who played the role of a Japanese officer, even wore mascara. The film portrays a kind of universal love, the attachment between an officer and his prisoner, and explores the historical background. Its songs and music are beautiful and poignant.
Shan Cheung / OHM Vegan Lab Co-Founder
Heart of a vegan
“Pure Veganism is only a label”, Shan said what lies behind is the pursuit of humanitarianism and environmental protection. She wishes only to provide a better alternative so that we can “eat vegetables that taste like it”.
As city separated us from the rural, contact with nature or farmland is a rarity. While many think little about the food industry, Shan Cheung, owner of a vegan cafe, had a sudden realisation one day eating with her friend: she doesn’t need to eat that much meat. Going vegan has prompted her to contemplate the origin of our food, the livelihood of coffee farmers, or even the lifeline of our land and nature. “From the way we eat, we can change the way we live”.
What inspired you to open a vegan cafe?
When I started going vegan, I started to pay attention to the origin of our food and discovered that there are some better retail places for food in Hong Kong. I was able to meet like-minded people because of Lively Live, which inspired me to open a cafe. Moreover, communicating with customers amazed me, in my previous job, it was: I produced something. Take it. But working here, it is: I cooked this; you ate it; you can tell me what you think. We can share bits and pieces of our life, and have a genuine conversation.
What is ‘pure veganism’ to you?
To me, ‘pure veganism’ is eating food without eggs and milk. Though I would not label myself as a ‘pure vegan’ as I choose not to eat eggs due to the principle of not harming our earth and animals. I also chose not to eat eggs because of the problem with the industry. Dairy cows are trapped in the cramped pens with machines milking them. While calves came to this world, supposed to be with their mother, would also be dragged away. If our demand for eggs and milk were small, the industrial production would be of smaller scale. If people see the alternatives such as organic food or vegan diet, the demand for eggs and milk would then decrease.
Fair trade coffee tart
Longan black sugar wolfberry drinks
Some people are on a strict vegan diet, having absolutely no eggs and milk or any animals in their food. However, I think that as long as we eat with the idea of sustainability in mind, allowing our earth to continue without overexploitation, that will be enough.
Gluten-free Soy milk vegan cheese fettuccine
Taro Cheese Cake & Hazelnut Latte
How did you start going vegan?
I didn’t have an epic story like others. It was just one day, eating with my friends, I realised that we wasted a lot of food. I always feel like we waste a lot of food. One day I realised that I don’t want to eat it, then why should I? I don’t have such a huge appetite for meat. I feel like if I eat less meat, there will be fewer animals being killed, and less food being wasted. Therefore I started a vegan diet gradually.
Grace Wang / CEO of VVG
It Doesn’t Mean a Bliss if Life is Smooth
Few people have the elegance and self-possession like a queen, and fewer have the ability to stun and move people at the same time. Grace, the CEO of the lifestyle brand VVG, is the rare entity of both.
Walking into the walnut brown hall of VVG Thinking, Grace immediately showed her distinct character that was as sheer as the white dress she put on. She was a generous lady who spoke with a soft, calm voice. She was generous to share what she liked and provide a platform for designers to showcase their works. She was generous to spend on projects which were unique in their own ways. She was also very generous to tell us what she experienced in the hard times without reserve. We often heard stories from successful people about how they built their empires from scratch, how they envisioned the future of mankind, to name but a few. But what we could truly learn to grow was not only from their recipes for boom, but also from the stories on how they survived a major setback and reached new heights. Grace’s story was one of these, and the story about courage, curiosity, honesty and persistence.
Every project of VVG has been added new elements, styles or a fresh response to life. How can you keep pursuing original experience, and sharing what you like?
Curiosity. I think I have to remain a pure mind, and be without too many complex feelings. To enjoy our life is what makes us curious. I make friends as well, and after that to connect more people and get the chance to experience many, many great things. I am open-minded. I always say yes to people who come to me for help, and join them if I feel that the projects are awesome. From 1999, VVG expanded from a restaurant to different sorts of shops, and there’re plenty of opportunities working with designers. I want to create a platform for these designers, so that they can make presentations, talks, and sometimes markets. Getting a lot of people involved is a wonderful way for them to explore their favourites in a form of living. People who do designs, arts, handicrafts, music or even films are gathered and create a fascinating vibe. There are rising demands for life aesthetic in mainland China. I went to Nanjing in early 2017 and just wrapped up the project of a lifestyle space in Zhengzhou. I will go wherever I am needed.
Can you tell us something more about your hobbies? We’ve heard you are very much into movies. Which one of them influences you most deeply? And in what ways movies enrich your creations and connect your life?
Watching movies is my greatest interest, and every day I see one or two films. They are so much fun, there might not be a film which really sweeps me off my feet, but there always are some films that tell us so much about our life. A movie is like a reflection of how we live. People see movies from their own perspectives, which reflect their inner self and ways of thinking. The Bridges of Madison County is the movie that stays deep inside my heart, it is a romantic love story that blows my mind. Seeing a movie can help inspire imagination. Of course I focus on the movie’s plot and visuals, but I also pay attention to the film score, costumes, props and settings. I will even consider playing that soundtrack in VVG if it fits.
VVG is like a window between Taiwan and the world, facilitating the exchange about life aesthetic on both sides. How do you manage to create an atmosphere of living a quality life for others?
In fact, I do not create this atmosphere intentionally, as all things in life happen very naturally. If you’ve ever felt its beauty, you will pay attention to it. I don’t do commercials, but sometimes I tell people my genuine feelings about life through giving talks. In the past eighteen years, I opened new shops by pure chance. I have new shops only if they are suitable for VVG, and I don’t want chain stores or duplications, because every space and building have their own and unique character, and I dress these buildings in ways that are true to their souls. For example, I had my largest project in 2016 in National Taichung Theater. The structure is designed by Toyo Ito. The idea of bringing the concepts of caves, lakes and rivers in the theater is just amazing. As early as 2014, I was invited to take part in this plan. I fell for it immediately, but at that time I was incapable of making this happen. Between 2014 and 2015, I was going through my tough times. We had financial problems, and were very close to collapse. In the latter half of 2015 we found a new investor, so we tried it again. I’ve spent half a year to adjust the project, changing it from more and more to less and less, so that Mr. Ito’s parts became the highlights of the interior. All I had to do was perfecting the lighting, props and so on, turning everything into a state of curves. Still, there’s so much work to do, as it requires a change from linear to nonlinear thinking, We made it at last, and Mr. Ito loves it.
You are very generous and honest. Many people want to be like you and develop their career based on things they have a passion for. What would you say to those who are still finding their directions?
A lot of people have dreams. I think for most of the things, we need to learn the basics, for instance, the concepts of costs, financial management, legal issues and purchasing. Start your learning in corporates, and after acquiring the basic skills and knowledge, you can go ahead and realise your dreams. Many people follow dreams but they lack the ability to execute, and they’ll come up short. After the execution you still need to sustain it. So, doing business is hard, sometimes you’ll need some luck, some opportunities or an unconventional mind to create your own life. And one more thing, courage and persistence. You will face numerous setbacks, and you need to be brave enough to accept and deal with them during your journey of growing up. Snags are not uncommon, but it doesn’t mean a bliss if life is smooth. I don’t have much luck to start with, and every day I’ve mountains of problem to deal with. Yet, they make me an experienced fighter who stays self-possessed.
VVG Thinking
VVG Food Play
Video Interview by Sabrina Li
Text by Sabrina Li
VVG Thinking
HuanShan 1914 Creative Park, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan
其實我沒有刻意營造，所有生活的事是自然而然的。如果你有感受到它的美好，自然就會留意。我從來不做廣告，有時候透過演講，把自己很真實對生活的看法分享給很多人。過去十八年來，我通常開店都是因緣際會，我覺得適合好樣才去開，我不會做連鎖，也不會做複製。因為我覺得每一個空間、建築，有它們獨特的個性，我會因應建築它有的生命去幫它穿該有的衣服。好像在2016年我做最大的計畫是在台中國家歌劇院，建築是伊東豊雄先生設計的。他的想法就是太讓人驚喜，把洞穴、湖泊、河流這些全部帶到一個建築體裡面。其實在2014年就有人來找我做這個案子，我去看就很喜歡，可是我就沒有能力做。我在2014到2015年是最辛苦的，財務有問題，那時候就快要關門了，一直到2015年後半年找到新的投資者，就再去標這個案子。我花了半年時間，從more and more變到less and less的一個狀態，將伊東先生做的東西變成內部最主要的部分，我只管把自己可以做的部分，好像燈光、道具等做好，所有東西都呈現一個曲線的狀態。可是這也費了很大的勁，因為是從直線的思維變成弧線的思維，是很大腦力的反轉。最後我們做到，伊東先生也很喜歡。
Jay Wu / Founder of Fujin Tree Group
Fujin Tree- The Path to the Far-reaching Future
Growing out of Songshan District in Taipei, Fujin Street is a lush avenue which stretches across the Minsheng neighbourhood. From the map, it begins at Guangfu North Road and has its other end near Keelung River. But seeing at the street is different, it looks as if there’s no end. The pavement is sprinkled with sunlight, shop signs are the eyes of the stores which hide themselves under the shades of leaves, enchanting the curious visitors. The most captivating of all is arguably the brand Fujin Tree, which bears the name of this beautiful street.
Jay Wu, the founder of Fujin Tree Group, keeps pushing the boundaries of his creativity and life aesthetics centreing Fujin Street, expanding his lifestyle brands from select shop, cafe, stationery to restaurant and massage shop. The Interview with Jay in Fujin Tree Cafe was refined with depth and insights. He shared with us how he got inspiration for his work and outlook from the quote “It’s not about me”, how he brought to Taiwan the life aesthetics ideas from the French, not to mention his complete confidence in the young generation. He proved that a highly successful and determined brand was built not only upon limitless thinking process and decision-making, but also its faith and open-mindedness to the young forces.
Looking once again at Fujin Street after the interview, the endless path seems to point in the promising direction where young people steer and make the change, as if Jay has already known.
Fujin Tree’s self-operated shops and acting brands are the congregations of ideal life solutions. How does your exemplary, dreamy life look like? Are they reshaped in different stages of your life? ？
The denotation of an exemplary life indeed is constantly reshaped as I grow, for instance, I have completely different outlooks on life before and after marriage as well as the birth of my children.
Before getting married I only need to feed myself and my family, but after I got married, especially when my kids were born, the space I created is mostly connected to my children, and I wish my creations fit the needs of my beloved ones.
And what is a perfect, dreamy life to me? I’d say it is a simple life. The design is minimalist, spending is basic, and attitude to other people is uncomplicated. I don’t want to be bothered with too much nuisance:
"You like me, I like you too! If you don’t like me, I am okay!"
Kicking off a brand new mode of corporation involves shrewdness and an adventurous spirit. What is the boldest decision you’ve made?
People are making endless decisions every minute of their lives. What make up our life is the numerous small decisions we take. Every previous choice determines the nowness, and the choice we make in this moment is the thread of the future.
I love observing, and thinking. I don’t worry about making decisions, because I understand clearly what I want. Starting my own business was a major decision to me, but as I’ve already resolved to do this since I was small, it’s merely a point of timely initiation.
Still, there are plenty of small businesses being set up in my company. Every single choice entails courage, and any success and setback have an impact on the future.
Can you tell us one of your biggest inspirations?
There was a sentence which affected me significantly. When I was fifteen or sixteen, I read a book and saw a sentence that wrote, “It’s not about me”. I didn’t quite grab that idea back then, so I kept thinking and looking for the answer of “It is not about me”. I’ve been reading a lot of books about living and about dying. I started to ask questions such as why am I here? Why am I alive? Who am I? Where will I go? What should I do while living?
During the process of self-searching from “It is not about me”, I was influenced deeply in many many ways. It has changed the direction of what I am doing now, my philosophy of life, values, and my career are all inspired by this process. For example, I’ve found my direction, that is to redefine everything. The coffee shop, select shop and restaurant I operated were not new industries in Taiwan, but I was aware that the concept of a “good life” or “living your life” was unfamiliar to many of the Taiwanese, so I decided to redefine what it meant to be living a “good life”.
Therefore I targeted Fujin Street, and from this street I reorganized and redefined my interpretations of a “good life”, thus recreated a brand new lifestyle. This whole new idea of business model could be traced back to the whole process of my own thinking about “It is not about me”, who I am, why I am living here, what I should do while living and what kinds of impact I want to make.
Fujin Tree notches up its success with speed, and you’ve consolidated your business at a young age. Do you still have anything to achieve? Or what do you wish to be in the future?
I hope Fujin Tree as a brand could influence the Chinese lifestyle industries in a constructive way. Previously Chinese people didn’t see how others make a living from lifestyle, but you see, the French people experience their lives with heart, and they sell air, water, arts and lifestyle. They embellish their living environment so well that they could visually carry this aesthetic to the rest of the world. Now while the Chinese are on the rise, and we are living in the best of times, I truly wish Fujin Tree could represent the brand of the generation.
I really hope that within 10 years, we could expand our team with more strengths, and pass down the business to the young generation. Lifestyle industries have always supported young people, who know how to have fun and to create. We need to have faith in them, offering them a chance to show off their talents. They will steer us to an undiscovered yet promising direction–– this is what I am certain!
Fujin Tree Group
Fujin Tree Cafe Facebook Page
Video Interview by Sabrina Li
Text by Sabrina Li
Fujin Tree Group
No. 353, Fujin Street, Songshan District, Taipei City
