High Life

36 品 Hong Chong Ip, designer and founder of The Grey Green, applied his love of lifestyle aesthetics to this shop. Everything inside, from the display goods to the choices of music and even the aroma, is carefully selected. “Everything you see here represents ourselves,” he says. “We think through firstly about who we are, what we like, what we feel, then proceed. That’s why everything is so special here. This represents no one else, just us.” Thefirstproduct launchedbyThe 设计师出身的店铺创始人将对生 活美学的追求发挥到极致。店内一点 一滴，从精选物件，到货品陈列，到 播放的音乐甚至空间气氛，无一不是 反复挑选。 “我做花艺、植物、产品，每一 件事物的出发点都是自己，我们究竟 是谁，我们喜欢什么，感受是什么， 然后去做事。”洪先生温柔的语气中 有着对所爱事物的坚持，“所以现在 出来的成果，每一部分都是特别的， 因为那个是我们，不是别人。” 「The Grey Green」推出的第 一个系列产品便是永生花。除了数次 造访日本找寻永生花材及邀请日本花 艺师设计花艺之外，洪先生还按照自 己的想法重新为永生花设计了灰绿色 复古圆形箱包式的礼盒，找来台湾皮 革职人制作出简单质朴的棕色皮带， 搭配黄铜花器和书法家使用专门设计 的笔所书写的西洋书法，有着自成一 派独一无二的高级优雅。 整个制作过程有着可想而知的繁 复。但是洪先生一语带过，只是说： “整件事情都是很温暖的。我常常跟 客人说，你要确定所送的人是很喜欢 的人才要送，因为我们真的是很投入 地在做。” 洪先生解释说，他其实一直都在 用类似这种西洋的方式与自己传统的 Grey Green was preserved flowers. In addition to visiting Japan several times to source the proper flowers and inviting Japanese florists to create the floral design, Hong designed the special gift box they are presented in – a grey-green vintage round-case boxwith a simple brown belt made by a leather specialist fromTaiwan. Along with a brass vase and a card boastingwestern calligraphy, thewhole set expresses its own unique elegance. The production process is complicated, but Hong tells us it is “also a warm process.” As such, it is a gift best offered to someone important “because we devote all of ourselves into making those flowers.” He also explains that he is always combining western methods with his own traditional roots. Born and raised in Macau, mixing eastern and western elements comes naturally to Hong and he sees this as part of Macau’s style. As a result, everything The Grey Green develops has a deep connection with the city such as the green plants inside the store – many of which are from a local farm in Coloane.