Meet Yi Sora Zhan | Entrepreneur & Artists & Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yi Sora Zhan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yi Sora, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I firmly believe that things don’t always go smoothly when people undertake tasks; risks often accompany opportunities. I find risks quite exhilarating. I enjoy gathering all possible information to assess risks before engaging in any activity. Of course, if taking risks comes with visible benefits, then I am inclined to take them. I believe it’s essential to evaluate whether or not to take risks within a manageable scope because bearing risks also implies incurring costs. Every instance of risk presents a test and challenge to oneself. I might not be a risk enthusiast by nature, but when faced with it, I choose to confront it.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

YUAN FIELD is an accessories label that was established in New York in 2022 and founded by me. Upholding the concept of “Reflect The Prism Of Your Real Life,” YUAN FIELD extends each season with a focus on contemporary urban living, closely observing the culture and lifestyle of the younger generation. Through jewelry, it narrates the emotions, thoughts, growth, and healing shared by the younger generation in the rapidly evolving urban life. Crafting campaigns with specific concepts, using the storyline as a foundation to construct social scenes with jewelry, and reflecting unique perspectives.
The craftsmanship of our product is worthy of mentioning. Yuan Field employs the international standard S925 sterling silver forging technique and cutting-edge electroplating technology to ensure outstanding hardness and quality. The entire series features a thick plating of precious metals such as rhodium, with a plating thickness reaching 0.1 micrometers, ensuring long-lasting luster.
Moreover, Yuan Field always utilizes hand-set gemstones with extremely high precision requirements. Due to the complexity of three-dimensional structures in pattern-making and production, Yuan Field perseveres in aiming for breakthroughs, adhering to innovation as its foundation. It challenges the difficulty of production each season, continually reworks designs, conducts drop tests for each product, and completes the development of the entire series.
I am not only the founder of the brand but also the designer and creative director.
I believe that design language and product quality are the foundation of brand development, so I invest a lot of time in this aspect. For example, in the first season’s Track Collection, the circular aperture is the main element running through Yuan Field’s design theme. The term “yuan” in Yuan Field holds rich meaning in the Chinese context based on its tone and shape. Firstly, it represents a circle, which is the brand’s unique shape identifier; it also symbolizes fusion and connection and the metaphor for the continuity of product themes.

In the spring and summer of 2023, Yuan Field referenced the concept of ” disappearance of the aura ” from the philosopher Walter Benjamin in his essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Benjamin explores metaphysical ideology, sacredness, and other abstract aspects here. With the advancement of reproduction technology, many printed materials inevitably destroy the “authenticity” of the original work and what he calls ‘Aura.’ His definition of “authenticity” and ‘Aura’ leans more towards sociological and communication concepts, namely the dissolution of the sacredness, social function, and ideology of the original work by printed materials. The inspiration for the first season of Yuanfield continues the concept of “searching for” and “reproducing” aura in the age of reproducibility, as described by Benjamin. In contemporary society, what is more often presented is a fragmented aura. I aim to tell stories and express ideas through accessible language and imagery.

A brand is not just a re-presentation of products and commodities; consumer orientation is just one aspect. More importantly, it is a trace of a specific cultural/spiritual/contemporary social demand for certain people. Therefore, besides designing jewelry, I focus on capturing slices of contemporary society and expressing more creative ideas about images through my perspective, using jewelry as a medium.
I am responsible for setting the themes for each season and planning the visual content and releases. Balancing between creating content and managing the company is challenging, as one’s energy is limited. When I aim to create excellent content, I must also assess its conversion from a business perspective. As the team leader, I often need to personally delve into and familiarize myself with each process to ensure smooth coordination between every part, making the company operate more efficiently. Currently, the brand is actively collaborating with some stores in China, as well as in New York and London. We are also collaborating with various magazine media outlets for exposure, such as ELLE, Vogue, and others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I would take them to the Chelsea district in New York City. There are many galleries, and it would be wonderful to enjoy the art on a leisurely afternoon. One place not to be missed is the famous Chelsea Market, which hosts various shops and has regular pop-ups. I would take them to eat at THE LOBSTER PLACE, where the lobster is very popular and fresh, and there is usually a queue.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I think the people I would like to thank are my parents. I grew up in a family involved in the Chinese jewelry manufacturing industry, and my parents’ business has been deeply rooted in the industry for nearly 30 years. They sponsored the first capital for my entrepreneurial venture. Since I was a child, they would take me to observe some business negotiations and familiarize me with various company operational processes. It can be said that I began interning at the company during my summer vacations in elementary school. Our family’s jewelry factory has nearly 800 employees and over 30 departments. I was still very young when I first delved into the jewelry manufacturing industry. Although I was physically present, it was challenging to accumulate practical experience. It wasn’t until my senior year in college, when I established my own company in New York and founded the jewelry brand Yuan Field, that I realized the role the supply chain plays in brand building and why my parents used to let me listen to conversations among adults that I couldn’t understand when I was young. Our family’s jewelry factory has a dedicated brand supply line for my brand, separate from other wholesale channels, focusing more on quality and production capacity control. This is a natural advantage for the brand. I majored in Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts for my undergraduate studies. Now, I am studying for a master’s degree in art education at Columbia University, unrelated to branding and business. I think my parents are very open-minded. They didn’t force me to major in a business-related field but supported me in doing what I persisted in.

Website: https://yuanfieldofficial.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuanfield_official/