IT’S A WRAP- 2022
As we kick off the new year with enthusiasm and excitement, we believe it is important to reflect on the tough but rewarding year at House of Forme. Overall, 2022 was a challenging year, with the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and ongoing wars continuing to cause global instability. Uncertainty has made planning for the future very challenging for both ourselves and our clients.
However, despite the global economy still being in flux, 2022 was also our busiest year to date. With a total of 22 branding projects, 13 interior projects and 7 full service design projects, alongside on-going client retainers. We expanded our team, worked in new industries and stretched our project footprint outside of Hong Kong. All thanks to our incredible clients, partners and team who continue to believe in our vision.
We can now see a silver lining as we open up to international markets and we are certain that 2023 will bring even more promising results.
At the start of 2022, we had the honour to create the brand identity and production for Nordic fine dining restaurant Embla. Led by Executive Chef Jim Lofdahl (Previously Executive Chef of Frantzen’s Kitchen, Hong Kong), Embla sets new standards in Nordic fine dining through its seasonal tasting menu inspired by Swedish gastronomy.
We're also delighted to announce the launch of South Nest, a 500 room co-living and hotel hybrid at the edge of Aberdeen Harbour; we worked closely with the building owner from the start of the project: from shaping the brand strategy, naming, visual identity, and to implementation. A true homage to the hard work and harvest spirit of the land of Tin Wan.
We also had the opportunity to design a full e-commerce website for fine jewellery brand - MOOCHACHA, helping them refine their digital presence, to showcase their wide range of fine art-inspired pieces to the global audience. Another project similar in nature was SIA Jewelry, a contemporary lifestyle jewellery brand that has established to be one of Hong Kong’s underground favourites in recent years. Our interior design for their first retail store takes inspiration from the organic forms and schemes of nature, complementing with the shop’s panoramic views of the city. A complete revamp of their brand collaterals and packaging were also created to deliver a more holistic and cohesive retail experience.
Other ambitious projects ranged from rebranding of a sustainable wearable art brand - earthero, our team helped with their overall messaging, narrative and launch campaign, to branding of an experience-based plant terrarium workshop Sunset Lab, and to an exhibition identity and collaterals for Crafts on Peel, an organisation dedicated to reviving traditional craftsmanship.
We are also fortunate to have grown alongside clients such as The Horologist, a watch collector’s lifestyle brand which we helped design the brand and flagship product back in 2021. Helping them expand their product range into bespoke leather goods.
Not to mention the precious metals craftsman of Sunsmith for their flagship store. The brand’s expansion into workshopping and well-curated retail can be found on the first floor of a historic 1960s Hong Kong ‘Tong Lau’ on Yun Ping Road in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Our interior design pays tribute to the emblematic structures of ‘Tong Lau’ and Hong Kong’s iconic bamboo scaffolding.
Expanding Our Business Abroad.
Midway through the year, we completed our branding project with THE BOX 一盒, a brand new destination in Beijing, China, designed for the next generation of youth energy. Spanning across 582,737 sq.ft. the space aims to connect people through innovation, technology, arts, entertainment, and curated retail. Our team oversaw the creative direction, brand strategy and implementation across uniforms, brand environments and collaterals.
Our business also expanded with India's leading real estate company DLF, designing a range of promotional collaterals that was more in tune with their growing audience in New Delhi. And Similarly, ambitious projects included the branding for a new Hong Kong-style cafe BING SUTT, located in Paris, France. A very exciting project where we were able to share our unique culture to the other side of the world.
The past year also marked our expansion into other areas of interior design, taking on our second full retail pop-up in K11 Musea for Lovemark Diamond to leading watch trading company Ken’s Watches located in Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, and beauty company Natural House with a cocoon inspired interior spanning 3,000 sq.ft.
Some of you may probably recognise the circular windows that stormed Instagram. Our cafe design for Gwee Coffee & More at the corner of Tai Ping Shan Street was an extension of its playful brand identity - with warm wall-mounted wooden decors to ceiling hanging lights and a space for cultivating connections, humans and pets alike. Similarly, cafe design in nature was our Los Angeles-themed Melrose Coffee located in Soho; from the signature gradients on their collaterals to the half-mooned wall scones and curved facade, Melrose Coffee invokes Cali’s infamous sunsets at every turn. Aside from commercial projects, we also designed a luxurious, Scandinavian-style home in Sai Wan Ho, offering exquisite sea views and a tranquil refuge for a private client.
A Look Into 2023.
There are a lot of exciting projects ahead of us. This year sees a solid start with the launch of CLEAN COFFEE in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong’s first sustainable self-service coffee shop, in which we designed the brand environments and interior design. Keep an eye out for our upcoming projects: from a new membership brand with Hong Kong Jockey Club to the launch of a craft workshop in Fo Tan, a new playhouse cafe in Tai Koo, the launch of The SLOW in Tseung Kwan O, and an ambitious full service design project for a shopping mall spanning 250,000 sq.ft to name a few.
From everyone at House of Forme, thank you for another remarkable year and we look forward to an even better 2023 together.
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