初次與Tom見面，有種人如其作品的感覺，無論是穿衣或說話都簡潔俐落，沒有多餘的成分。「當設計一件產品時，不只要把它做到精緻高雅，更要嘗試突破家具的限制。」看著眼前的Sia Chair，心想他的確做到了。
Meeting Tom Fereday for the first time, I could already tell how much his works resemble his personality. The way he dressed and talked was so sleek and sharp. “Apart from making my design elegant and refined, I would also try to go beyond the limit of furniture design.” Looking at his Sia Chair, I knew he has achieved his goal.
家不只是一個居住的地方，它的存在總是令人安心、有所依靠，尋常之中擁有獨特的美。「我理想中的家是寧靜的，能讓我放鬆和躲起來的地方。家具也是一樣，要予人寧靜、放鬆的感覺，所以我會使用自然的材質去創造安靜舒適的環境。功能性和舒適度是主要的考慮因素，簡化不必要的細節，作品往往予人一目了然的感覺，因為家具本來就是一件無可隱藏的東西。」Tom Fereday這種簡單直接、不故弄玄虛的設計與家自然地融合，能坦然相對的家具總給人一種安穩的感覺。「設計就是要為人解決問題，例如怎樣才能更舒適、更貼近使用者的需要；產品也要符合永續生態的概念，要與自然環境聯繫。我希望我的作品能給別人一種『當擁有了它，便很想使用很久』的想法。」
Home is not merely a residence but also a shelter where your heart belongs to. It is ordinary but full of unique beauty. This echoes Fereday’s belief of minimalist design too. “My ideal home is a place of tranquility, which serves as a hideaway for me to relax. The very same functionality should apply to furniture too. Therefore, I would only use natural materials to create a cozy and serene environment. Functionality and comfort are the key criteria. Having reduced the unnecessary details, all is left is a minimal form that can be understood at a glance. Furniture is, in essence, something meant to be simple and direct.” Tom Fereday’s honest designs have become an integral part of a home that can put people at ease. “Designs are meant to solve problems, for instance, to make a product more easy to use and better meet users’ need. Sustainability is also an indispensable consideration so the connection with nature is never out of the bigger picture. I hope my works are of enduring design that has a long lasting quality.”
Tom Fereday自言十分欣賞電影《布達佩斯大酒店》的美國導演Wes Anderson，難怪其作品都有一種獨特鮮明、結構對稱的風格；他亦深受產品設計師Benjamin Hubert的影響，積極發掘新的物料和生產科技去製作一些創新和更耐用的產品。「設計家具時必須考慮天氣和環境，香港天氣相對上較潮濕，生活空間亦較為狹窄，故必須選擇適合的材料和省位的設計來迎合香港市場的需要。」剛成為Creative Callout比賽的優勝者，Tom將會與Lane Crawford合作推出家具系列，並預計於明年四月推出，令人期待他如何能設計出適合香港居住環境的家具。
As an avid admirer of Wes Anderson who directed Grand Budapest Hotel, Fereday’s works similarly feature a distinguishable style with a stress on symmetry. Fereday is also deeply influenced by the product designer Benjamin Hubert for his endeavors to keep exploring new material and technology to manufacture products that are innovative and also more endurable. “One must consider the weather element when designing home furniture. Hong Kong is comparatively humid, with limited space, so we must choose materials accordingly to meet the needs of the market.” Being the new winner of the Creative Call Out competition, Fereday will collaborate with Lane Crawford to create a series of furniture that is scheduled to launch next April. It is much anticipated to see how the designs could be a great fit for the living condition of Hong Kong.
曾於英國和澳洲唸藝術及工業設計的Tom Fereday，曾為Louis Vuitton的店舖設計家具擺設，作品亦曾獲得不少國際獎項。於上年推出的Sia Chair使用木材及纖幼的不鏽鋼管作原料，打磨後光滑的木材紋理鮮明有致，展現材質的自然之美。另外，椅子的靠背能隨著身體的需要而作出調較，增加舒適度，椅子質樸而精緻。
Grew up in England studying at the Wimbledon School of Art before moving to Sydney to complete a degree in Industrial Design, Fereday founded his design studio in 2012. His works include furniture designed for Louis Vuitton store as well as various award-winning pieces. The Sia Chair launched last year features well-polished timber contrasted by a minimal stainless-steel frame. The chair frame also allows smooth angle adjustment of structural support by the backrest, ensuring comfort while not compromising on substance and elegance.
