Designer Zhang Fei can be considered an old friend. I met him at various design exhibitions. 

In recent years, various design exhibitions have gradually increased in Shanghai. Almost without exception, 

Zhang Fei's "Bela Design" booth is always crowded with people. Everyone crowded in front of those wooden products, 

attracted by the delicate patterns, warm texture, and the slightly rustic yet ingenious appearance of those products. 

Everyone couldn't help but touch and play with them. So the brand of "original design" gradually became deeply rooted in people's hearts.

And I gradually became familiar with the founder and designer of this original brand, Zhang Fei.

After being in contact for a long time, I found that Zhang Fei and his wooden products actually have similarities. His personality is simple 

and warm - very much like the essence of wood. He is diligent and meticulous in his work, just like those finely carved small ornaments. 

His creativity is also like the design that impresses and impresses people in products, showing his skill in details. Zhang Fei always says, 'Good design cannot be rushed,' 

or 'it is better to wait.' He believes that if design is influenced too much by other factors, it will become less honest. 

If the direction of design is guided by the market, the true essence of design itself will gradually disappear. It can be seen that he is really like those "woods", 

a solid eyed designer. In the face of market, economic interests, and time opportunities, he would rather make the most primitive "wood" and slowly polish it into the shape he wants.

Before doing original design, Zhang Fei was a product designer engaged in design services. He deeply realized at that time 

that problems would arise when the relationship between money and design was too close. Now, he has gradually come to understand that design

not only requires high efficiency, but also the enjoyment of the design process. To make design pure is what he said, 'Design requires honesty'. 

So, when many original designers are facing the situation of being cloned and copied, and the overall cultural and creative environment in China is not ideal, 

Zhang Fei appears even more calm. He said that at the beginning, he would be angry if he found that his product was copied or homogenized in production, 

but now he has a better understanding of the current national situation. He has always believed that external environment and changes are secondary, 

and inner strength is the most important. He hopes that 'Bela Design' will always approach design with honesty and gradually become a century old store with a relatively small scale. 

After several exhibitions abroad and exchanges at well-known exhibitions in Japan, Europe, and other places, he has become more confident in China's cultural and creative brands, 

as well as design brands. He said, "As long as we persist in doing it with heart and not be impetuous, China is actually not bad either

When he met Zhang Fei at the Shanghai Fashion Home Exhibition last year, he appeared particularly happy. 

Because "Bela Design" has won 5 internationally renowned iF Home Style Awards, among which the work "Music Wood" also won the 2015 iF Product Design Award. 

Becoming an award-winning "professional" all of a sudden is a great joy for every designer of an original brand. But in addition to being happy, 

Zhang Fei also saw the prospect of his "slow work and meticulous work". He said, "Winning an award is not the goal, but at least it can be considered as a recognition 

of your design by some authoritative institutions. A brand is a comprehensive accumulation of many products, and it is the overall impression of others on your products. 

I hope that in the future, I will not only promote my products in China, but also gradually enter countries such as Europe and the United States. 

This is helpful for my learning and growth, but it can only be accumulated slowly through individual designs

Just like his products, which are mainly made of raw wood, it determines that only "slow work produces fine work" can have good quality, 

because raw wood products require workers to be extremely careful and focused from cutting wood to applying glue, bonding and other processes.

Zhang Fei's brand and even his life are slowly "grinding" in this way, using time and effort to polish their own roundness and maturity. 

This will undoubtedly become an important test for his generation and even younger designers.

Zhang Fei

Graduated from Zhejiang Silk University (now Zhejiang University of Technology) with a major in Industrial Design

Created the original design BELADESIGN brand in 2012

I have been teaching Industrial Design at Zhejiang University of Technology since 2008

Q： You once said, 'I can inject ideas and emotions into products through design, making them come to life.' This reflects a designer's passion, 

a desire to make life more beautiful. Can you talk about the relationship between design and life.

A： The purpose of design is to serve life, so design ultimately revolves around life or people. And the source of design mostly comes from life experiences and feelings. 

Designers simply apply their own experiences and feelings to design, so that more users can have similar experiences and feelings.

Q： Until now, the products you have designed are mostly "small" products, and there have been no large items like "furniture" yet. Have you ever thought about doing furniture design? 

Why have you been insisting on making small products all these years?

A： This is also related to my own preferences. I like small products that are fun and interesting. I usually pay attention to and think about many areas within the scope 

of small products. In addition, in recent years, our equipment and experience have been focused on small products, and there are still many small products waiting for 

us to design and delve into. In the coming years, I will continue to focus on designing small products, and I estimate that I will also design furniture when the time is right.

Q： Tell me about the most story telling design you have created.

A： Being busy with work, traffic jams, and endless phone calls every day is a reality for urbanites, and I am no exception. One day, 

I was busy working all day and got stuck driving home. Sitting on the sofa at home without saying a word, my mind was filled with various irritations (although the room was very quiet). 

That day, I accidentally stumbled upon an old music box at home, and the crisp sound suddenly took me to another realm. Suddenly, 

it became quiet and I temporarily forgot about the various irritations in my mind.

This experience inspired me to design an music box using natural wood, making it a complete, continuous wood grain in our hands. Soon, 

these two wooden music boxes (runway, rectangular) came up with solutions. As soon as the sample was made, it participated in the DOD exhibition and countless people liked this product.

Q： Can you summarize your design spirit in one sentence?

A： Design requires honesty.

Q： Have you considered combining your wooden products (such as music boxes) with some smart hardware?

A： I am already working on Bluetooth speakers, wireless charging, etc.

Q： As a lecturer in industrial design at Zhejiang University of Technology, what would you most like to say to students studying design?

A： If you really like design, then go down to earth and slowly delve deeper.

Q： What is the 'aesthetic of life' that you have created?

A： Simple, interesting, durable, and not easily outdated.