Daydream Nation's Jing Wong overcomes all to open first flagship store in Hong Kong

CNNGo: You once said that having a Daydream Nation building is a dream. Now that your two-story flagship store is open, what are you going to do with this new space?

Jing Wong: This is just a taster, a miniature version of our dream! Right now, we only have space to teach some guitar and clothes-making classes. Our staircase can also be turned into a mini-stage where I can perform.

But ideally, our dream building will be big enough to be an artistic hub. It will be a place where we can stage cabarets -- not burlesque ones, but raw jamming sessions for people we know are talented but have no time to pursue a creative career. We will call it “Random Night.” There would be a studio floor for us to work in, and a café for people to procrastinate in.

The interior of Daydream Nation's new flagship store.

CNNGo: Why do arty types complain so much about how hard it is to be creative in Hong Kong?

Wong: There is a lot of negative energy going around. Creative circles are scared of sharing here. There was a local designer who we really tried to support. We shared our contacts with him, and even volunteered to do his photo shoot, but it turns out he was bad mouthing us.

But I actually think creative people have it easy in Hong Kong. There are fewer people involved in creative work compared to design metropolises like London, so even if you make a small move here, people will appreciate what you do. There is more chance for small brands to make it.

CNNGo: We heard you had a design ripped off by a high street label. Care to share the details? 

Wong: We had a really unpleasant experience with Top Shop. They went to our booth, said they loved our accessories and wanted to buy our samples, but turned us down a few days later.

After several months we saw an uglier, less detailed version of our design for sale on their website. They stole our design without crediting us! But in this industry, this is normal.

One of Jing's necklace designs.

CNNGo: Who is the biggest day dreamer in Hong Kong?

Wong: Wong Ka-kui (Lead singer of 1980s rock band Beyond) is one, because they can carry the spirit of “rock can change the world” to Hong Kong in the 1980s.  Hong Kong did not have entertainers like that at the time. 

Jim Chim (veteren stage actor) is another. Many cultural critics despise him for being “the vulgar theater man who cross-dresses and swears on stage .” But the Jim Chim I encountered 15 years ago is the mastermind behind the most daring and creative theater ensemble in Hong Kong.

His shows now may be mass-oriented but I think it was brave for him to disband an acclaimed production and start something afresh. Creative people need to have the courage to abandon past projects and move on, or they will be stuck in past laurels forever.

Daydream Nation flagship store, 5 Wing Fung Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong.