10 Points Out of 10, Handmade with a Perfect Score
an interview with Naomi, owner of 10/10 Design Studio — living in Tainan 003
Naomi is from Tainan, Taiwan. She is the owner of 10/10 Design Studio. She makes accessory items from washable kraft paper under her own designer label.
Why are you here, in Tainan?
I belong here! I grew up, finished my education and got my first job, all in the same city.
Do you like it here?
I like Tainan. It’s a city I am familiar with, and there’s little I want to complain about. Being a local, I am used to the way things are run in here. Having lived here all my life, I feel less fascinated about living in Tainan than someone moving in from other places. It’s life as usual for me.
What are your sightseeing suggestions for visitors of Tainan?
Take a walk around! Does it sound too uninviting? Well, I guess the street markets are worth a visit. I often go to their market when I am in a new city, and I believe it is the easiest way to get close to all counts of life there. And… temples can be interesting too! While I do not believe in God or other deities myself, Tainan is a city filled with places of worship in its streets and lanes. I learned to appreciate the artistic values of the temples when I was invited to collaborate with the curators of the Fifty Manners exhibition some years back. I was introduced to the traditional craftsmanship techniques used on the buildings, including a form of pottery known as Koji, and the art of stone and wood carving.
Why did you start 10/10 Design Studio?
I did it without much thought(laugh). In the very beginning, the idea of starting up a business was never in my mind. I just had some vague idea of wanting to do something, something that I enjoy doing. Then, I got more inspiration and ideas over a few conversations with a friend, which coincided with the opening of an application for a startup fund offered by the Ministry of Culture. So I applied for it, and as I went through the application process, the ideas started taking shape and became concrete plans of what exactly I wanted to do.
I kept asking myself what to do next when I left my last job. I had the word “design” in my job description, but what I did was really doing it as a kind of service for somebody else. Now, I design for myself, and it feels different. It is much more rewarding. I guess there will be a desire to create your own works, no matter if you are in the field of design, or any forms of art such as drawing or sculpture.
What do 10/10 Design Studio actually do?
Basically it’s an independent label for handmade products made with washable kraft paper.
Why do you choose washable kraft paper?
I got to know about it when I still worked in the former company. The material is quite interesting and playful. Though it is paper, but it has the character of both fabric and leather. It is imaginative with unlimited possibilities. Being a DIY-lover, I had a handbag and a wallet made with it before launching my own start-up.
Then, why do you want to design accessories?
I searched for things to make for my label when I had decided on the material. At that time, another local designer was already selling washable paper wallets for men, so I was pressured to think of something unique for myself. I considered bag-making, but knowing how time-consuming these are made I was less confident about pricing. There are all sorts of bags, ranging from… say ten dollars to several thousands. But it will be difficult to persuade customers to pay a premium for one made with paper when they are not familiar with the material.
Then, I had the idea in another conversation with a friend who makes origami and paper sculptures. In fact, she created paper hair accessories that can be worn in parties. I realized that paper accessories are a relatively unexplored concept, and compared to bags which form is limited by its function, there’s less restrictions in the design of a piece of decorative accessory. Then, I started my new basic design class.
Why did you name your studio 10/10 or “Shifen” in Chinese ?
I thought of the Chinese name first. I wanted to find a name, which is easy to remember. Shifen (the name in Chinese) has many meanings in Chinese, it means 10-points when taken literally, but it can also be an adverb meaning “very” or “extremely” when taken as a phrase.
That’s right! The first thing that came to my mind when I heard the name was a 10-points perfect score!
And you are not alone in having that thought!
Then, who are your customers?
I have an interesting market segment, with young people as my main customers. Right now, I sell bow ties, bracelets and necklaces. So far, the bow ties have been doing pretty well and they are sold both online and offline, as well as through shops on a consignment basis.
According to the shopkeeper at one of my consignment locations (a clothing boutique), I had mostly male customers.
On the other hand, the male to female ratio is about 1:1 at craft fairs, but I was surprised with their composition. I originally thought that my bow ties would only be popular among the dandies, or the guys who cared a lot about their appearances. But as it turned out, most of my customers prefers casual dressing. There’s even a guy who bought my bow tie for a Chinese-style wedding banquet! There were of course some beaus, but they perhaps account for less than one-sixth of my sales. Recently I discovered that I am doing particularly well among foreign tourists… They tend to think less and buy without hesitation, perhaps with the idea that they might not be returning to the same place again?
I sell online through Pinkoi, an online marketplace for local designers. Most of my orders were from girls buying gifts for their boyfriends.
For everything other than the bow ties, a majority of the purchases were made by office ladies ranging from 25–40 years old. Girls and ladies, especially the chic ones, like my products for their colors and designs, and would incorporate the pieces in their looks.
I have an unexpectedly broad customer base. There were lots of fun observing them.
From ideation to actually making and selling your creations, which part of the whole process do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy being creative with my hands. It’s more than just crafting but the whole process of creating something anew. It was satisfying when I get to complete an idea from its concepts to a finished product.
I see that you often sell at craft shows. Could you share a few tips with us?
One thing I learned was how to think and act like a sales. Before I started doing craft shows, I saw everything from the consumers’ point of view. But when I was in the reverse situation, I learned to appreciate the hardships of being on the seller side, especially since I am the maker of the products I sell. A designer or maker has to adopt to becoming a seller, and this is not easy when some buyer haggles for a better deal. When I was just starting out and things were not going well, I would think with pessimism that perhaps my products were not good enough. My seller neighbor thinks in an opposite way. She knew her products are fine and the buyers are the ones who missed out.
Selling in craft fairs means that any displays you create for your stall are not permanent. In addition to preparing for stocks, you have to imagine how your stall will look like. I learned by observing how others showcase their goods and combining the best practices that are the most suitable for my products. I would often feel timid and mentally drained the night before a fair, but when I finish the physically demanding day in the fair I feel exhausted but accomplished. One part of me refuses to do it again, but I would sign up for the next one forgetting how tiring it was.
Sellers come to craft fairs for a multitude of different reasons. Approximately one-fourth of them join simply for the money and refuse any exchanges with people other than their customers. Most of us are not like that, as we share the same dream of having our own labels. I once had a private chat with one of the craft show organizers, and she told me the values of the fairs lies not only in running a profit against the fees, but most importantly it’s an opportunity to meet customers in person and get their feedback quickly.
What are your inspirations?
I once received an advice, “Care less about those who will not buy your products, think for those who do.” I design things that I like, and my customers likes them for the fact that I enjoyed doing it. Therefore, the things that inspires me are the things I like. I’d like to check out others’ offerings on Etsy and think of what I can improve in terms of product and branding.
What are your recent plans?
You will find my works at the historic Hayashi Department Store in Tainan which is due to reopen soon. I am also working secretly in a collaboration project with Misala, a designer of handmade coin purses. Please stay tuned!
How would you describe yourself?
How would I describe myself? Um.. the first thing that comes into mind is that I am quite contradictory. I am not saying that I am always contradicting myself, but I tend to think in entirely opposite ways. For example, I like things that are stylish, but at the same time I am also into cute and kawaii things. When taken out of the prospective, I am often surprised by myself for having such a varied taste. Do I have dual personality or what? Another friend commented me for being calm and passionate at the same time, so I guess there’s some sort of duality in me. I am not always positive and optimist, but that’s something I am trying to achieve.
Chinese version: http://hwchensfotostudio.blogspot.tw/2014/07/living-in-tainan-x-interview-003-naomi.html
10/10 design studio
website: http://tentenxdesign.wix.com/1010designstudio#!home/mainPage facebook : https://www.facebook.com/tendesignstudio
blog: http://tendesignstudio.blogspot.tw/
online shop pinkoi: http://www.pinkoi.com/store/1010-design-studio
online shop etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/1010designstudio
Text & photo: Huiwen Chen
Editing: Ihsuan Lin & Sanford Poon
