Flower of life

It is said to be the original pattern of creation, and now designer Ye Mingzi teams up with Swarovski crystals to bring this ancient geometric form to life in a range of delicate jewelry. Sun Yuanqing reports.

Few people can compete with Ye Mingzi's glamorous life.

The granddaughter of Ye Jianying (1897-1986), a founder of the People's Liberation Army, Ye Mingzi studied at London's Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design. She is best-known for designing evening and wedding dresses for Chinese celebrities and very rich people.

Now, inspired by the power of the Flower of Life, a mysterious ancient geometric form of overlapping circles, Ye is embracing a wider audience with a new collaboration with Swarovski.

The outdoor show Flower of Life, planned by Ye over two years, opened in the Imperial Ancestral Hall in Beijing last month, featuring singing, dancing and crystal singing bowls.

Ye, who is also a musician, sang her own composition in front of a crowd of the city's trendsetters.

The show presented a couture collection by Ye's Studio Regal, a resort line by Ye and Masha Ma and an eyewear collection by Ye and Maggie Yao, as well as the Atelier Swarovski accessories collection by Ye.

The 33-item collection includes delicate necklaces, rings, bracelets, a tiara and cufflinks, all featuring the Flower of Life.

Ye's personal favorite is a bracelet that has the pattern of two interlocking hearts, resembling the infinity symbol.

"It means that when you open your heart and link it with others, you will have infinity and love, which is also the meaning of the Flower of Life," she says.

Ye typically uses diamonds and platinum in her couture jewelry collections. This is her first time using crystals for the entire collection, which will be available in selected Swarovski stores worldwide from September.

Ye expects the collection to attract a wider audience than she has had in the past with her couture line.

"Up until now, I have focused on the couture business, and I have not had access to a wider clientele. But with this collection, we can offer a more affordable prices with a partner like Swarovski. It's quite a transition and I'm pretty excited," Ye says.

The collaboration came about when Ye met Nadja Swarovski, a member of the Swarovski executive board. Atelier Swarovski is the house's luxury crystal accessories line that works with leading designers to explore the creative potential of crystal. Previous artists include Christopher Kane, Mary Katrantzou and Zaha Hadid.

"She really impressed me because she brings the brand not just to become a product but a gateway to link different cultures together. And this is what I want to do myself," Ye says.

"Crystal is actually a perfect element to describe and explain the Flower of Life, because it is a geometric form and a lot of the Swarovski pieces and cuts are also geometric."

Ye says she has frequently dreamed of the pattern of the Flower of Life since she was 5 years old. She never saw it in real life until more than 20 years later when she was observing the wooden windows in the Imperial Ancestral Hall while looking for her wedding venue.

"I was shocked. Music instantly started to play in my mind. I knew that moment that this was more than a pattern," she says.

In 2012, Ye's mother died of cancer. As a painter, Ye's mother had been her inspiration not only as an artist but also as a woman.

With much agony and pain, Ye started visiting temples around the world and she saw the pattern again and again. She learned that the ancient geometric form had been studied by Leonardo Da Vinci and it is said to be the original pattern of creation.

"It stands for peace and beauty. It is also a bridge between different cultures and it explains that the fundamental core of us is all the same with compassion and beauty," Ye says.

"The more I learn, the more I realize that this is a pattern that will bring peace to the world. Because it proves that all ancient cultures come from the same root - the Flower of Life. And I want to tell people through things that I am passionate about."

Apart from jewelry, clothing and eyewear, Ye - in the spirit of her family roots, especially her mother - wants to promote the power of Flower of Life in areas such as leather ware and furniture by venturing out of her studio and working with more designers and labels.

"True beauty comes from an open heart. There are many young designers who don't have the opportunity to show off their talents. And I want to build a platform where we can work together."

Contact the writer at sun yuanqing@chinadaily.com.cn