The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

The Exotic Plants Lover Club is an exclusive project between Crossover x Plantae & YT-YF. It is a trio project combining apparel, pottery and nursery in one collection, that aims to create a fusion and connection of both fashion and lifestyle. A highlight on pottery making & exotic plants, the project is shedding lights on the diversified passion-oriented lifestyle that we have and on the importance of pursuing those passion in your everyday lives.

So, we sit down and have a chat with Feng and Yong Jing on how both men pursue their respective passion.

THE EXOTIC PLANTS LOVER CLUB

YONG JING - PLANTAE

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

Yong Jing is someone who started off as a designer, but along the way he came to love plants and botany. He is a second generation of a family-owned business in nurseries and gardening store. And from the way we see, he is actively pursuing this passion and have a unique approach to educating all on the beauty of plants, especially exotic plants.

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

1. Tell us on how nurseries/botany started with you?

I switched my career from graphic design to botany 7 years ago. My family has been in the landscaping business for over 30 years, and we owned a plant nursery which deals with all kinds of plants and garden accessories. When I was still doing graphic designing, I've always spent my free time hanging around the nursey. I found it very relaxing and as a way for me to release stress. It gives me a sense of calmness to be able to sit down and just observe my favorite plants.

2. Can you describe your creative process for coming up with your choice of plants?

I love reading related magazines and searching for plants information on the Internet. I always get inspired by the characteristic of the plant and the different of growth habits of it.

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

3. We see that you are more focus on exotic plants. Any particular reason for that?

As a designer, we like to create/ design something creative and dierent in the market, and the habit is with me until today even though I’m in botany career now. I always like to explore & collect rare species of exotic plants. I found that the shape and appearance of the caudex plant is very special, and each plant has its own ‘natural unique look’; you won't nd the same looking plant even within the same species. That’s the most interesting part I’ve discovered so far in my journey.

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER
The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

4. Do you have any tips or advise for those out there who have interest in nurseries and plants?

It is all about communication. Plants will tell. Listen to your plant and knowing what it needs, you’ll definitely and satisfaction in seeing your plants grow.

5. Do you have a vision of where you would like to take your passion for exotic plants in the future?

Caudex plants is still not so popular in Malaysia market today. We hope we can build up the culture of exotic plant in Malaysia, and also happy to see that the botany/ agriculture industry is different now, gardening hobby is not limited to golden aged group but there are younger generation starting to pick it up and do it with very creative way.

THE EXOTIC PLANTS LOVER CLUB

FENG & YI TING - YT-YF

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

We came to know Feng as a coffee enthusiast. He is so good at it that he was the guy we approach for the 1st Carhartt Coffee corner project in Pavilion. Certainly, the perfect candidate for it, and on top of being a coffee maestro, he also has a knack for interior design. And you can see his inputs and ideas in reality at Crossover Sunway & The Mall Southkey Mid Valley. There is no stopping this man, as now he has found another passion - pottery making.

1. Tell us a bit more about how you found your way towards pottery. How did you get into it, and what was your first piece?

During the MCO Period, my mom shared with us that she attended a homemade pottery class and what she had learned. This captured our interest, so we started creating handmade pottery goods at home. We then attended our first trial pottery class using throwing method. It was not easy at the beginnings; we spent a lot of time centering the clay which is the first and most important step of completing a pottery good. However, we were happy and satisfied when we finish our first pottery. And thanks to our friend, Jing, who had intrigued us with his collections of exotic plant, we started to make ourselves pots which lend a certain charm to the exotic plant we that we love.

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER
The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

2. How did you come up with the brand name YT-YF and what is the meaning behind the name?

YT-YF is the initial of my wife and myself, as we are happy that we have this common interest which we can nurture and develop together. We put our own initial as the brand name, as we are condent and committed to providing the quality of product that represents both our characters.

3. Can you describe your creative process for coming up with a new design?

Our designed ideas are inspired by Japanese aesthetic traditions of very simple and with muted palette of earth colors, with a touch of imperfections, nished with some twist in texture.

4. Pottery classes can be on the expensive side. What tips you have for those who like to venture into this art?

Attending potter classes requires lesson fees, cost of buying clay and the cost for firing finished pottery. I think one of the ways to maintain these expenses is to be selective in the final product that you really like for firing, and you may also recycle the clay of failed product during the course of learning.

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER
The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

5. Do you have a vision of where you would like to take YT-YF in the future?

We are still at the early stage of learning; we will continue to master our skills. We hope in the near future, we can establish a gallery and a studio space that support and encourage collaboration among artists as they advance their crafts, develop new techniques and to engage the community to support creation of high quality, unique and aordable handmade creative arts as well. Also, we will continually innovate and try new tactics at every opportunity to produce our pottery for global market.

The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex - CROSSOVER

The Exotic Plant Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex Pop-Up will release a series of “Pachypodium” and the exclusive collaboration with Plantae & YT-YF together with a special release of SRL by Neighborhood.

Special Online Release
Date : 15th - 21st May

Interview: Jem | Translation: Khalisa Johari | Photography: Edward | Graphic: Vincent Tan
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