We recently connected with Tanya (Yating) Li and have shared our conversation below.

Tanya (Yating), thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I can confidently say that my parents’ trust in me has been pivotal in shaping my identity as an artist. It’s given me the courage to pursue my passions wholeheartedly and weave them into my work. Growing up, they adopted a unique approach to nurturing my learning attitude, always encouraging me to explore what genuinely interested me. Only recently have I been told that despite receiving feedback from my teacher about my lack of focus during my school years, my parents never burdened me with these criticisms. Instead of confining me to a predetermined path, they trusted in my ability to self-direct and find success in my chosen fields. Their unwavering support and belief in me instilled a deep sense of freedom and security, empowering me to trust my instincts and capabilities. This trust has been a liberating force, allowing me to freely explore and express my perspectives.

Tanya (Yating), love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an artist passionate about fashion design and textile art, currently pursuing a degree in luxury brand management. Since childhood, I have loved fairy tales, talking flowers, dancing teacups, flying blankets, etc. All the everyday things I know have extraordinary abilities in the fairyland. Everything is possible in fairy tales. I also imagine my everyday environment as a fairyland. I find parallels between reality and the fairyland. I am the storyteller of the land, and every object has its own story. Childhood interests shaped the way I think about things. I project my fantasies and my needs onto the things around me. Whether in an unfamiliar or familiar environment, I often bring myself into the perspective of other things around me to think about questions and exchange positions for inspiration. This observation “experience” is my creation of life, just like a work of art.

When creating, I am not limited by any single material, method, or form. My choices are entirely influenced by my feelings at the time. Playing myself in my own story, I discover myself.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Definitely check out the ‘INSIDE LVMH Certificate’ course if you’re interested in branding and management. It’s free and does a great job of covering key topics like sales strategies, retail, and customer experience, not to mention branding. It’s a helpful source for anyone diving into brand creation.

My current academic career was turned around by an internship in the fashion industry. In school, we mainly focused on the technical aspects of creativity and design. However, during my internship, I was guided for the first time to research and analyze the target consumer group deeply before designing styles. This process made me realize that, as a designer, understanding and fulfilling market demands is just as important.

By deeply understanding consumers, I learned how to create designs that resonate with clients. I realized that effective management is not just about product quality and original creativity but also about establishing emotional connections with consumers. This philosophy was further reinforced in my subsequent studies in luxury brand management. Understanding customers and building relationships with them has become the core of my design and business decisions. My goal is to create works that are both artistically appealing and marketable by blending creative design with market insights. I aim to create a brand that showcases my design talent and establishes a deep emotional connection with consumers.   

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Although I approach NFTs with caution, I am genuinely excited about them. They’re this fresh wave in the art world, cutting down the need for all the physical stuff that usually goes into making art. It’s not just eco-friendly, but it also blows open the doors for endless creative possibilities way beyond the limits of traditional art forms.

I’ve also noticed how NFTs are super popular with the younger folks. This is cool because it means my art can connect with a whole new crowd, tech-savvy and ready for something different. But it also pushes me to think about how I can make my work resonate with a wider audience. Looking at how the younger generation is set to shape the future market, I’m betting big on NFTs. It’s a fantastic chance to show off what we can do, crossing the usual boundaries and reaching people we never could before.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tanya-xxi.world
• Instagram: tty_.tanya
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yating-li-tanya

Image Credits
Portrait: Laina photos of the work: Xiaofan