While studying abroad, Hong Kong designer David Lo remembers dialing the 852 international dialing code to place calls home. Years later, that prefix formed the basis for Aberdeen852, the brand he and partner Andrew Au-Yeung set up. Folders shaped like tram cars, and a series called “Queen is Gone” depict life in Hong Kong before and after its return to Chinese sovereignty. The quirky products are marketed through their company www.mall852.com, which exhibited at the inaugural HKTDC Hong Kong Lifestyle Showcase last month.

How did you come up with the concepts for Aberdeen852?
I have been observing changes the city has undergone over the past 15 years through my commute to work by tram. Hong Kong is so crowded, and each area is home to its own community. I thought, you can track changes underway in Hong Kong through these tram lines. So when I partnered with Andrew to develop this brand, I said, ‘When we design something for Hong Kong, we have to make it a visual statement to demonstrate the life and interesting parts of Hong Kong.’ 

That’s why we picked so many interesting characters you can see from the tram. For example, in Central, you see office ladies and office buildings. In Causeway Bay, you see people shopping, or things like a monk using a mobile phone to order food. They’re all microcosms of Hong Kong. That’s why we developed this brand – to try to make a visual statement of what Hong Kong is like today. 

What does the brand “Aberdeen852” mean?
Aberdeen in Cantonese means “little son of Hong Kong.” And “852” is a meaningful number to me, because that was the number I had to dial to call home when I lived overseas. 

How will your products strike a chord with people from outside Hong Kong?
First of all, I think it will help people in Hong Kong develop a cultural appreciation, because everything happens so fast here that it’s easy to forget. I think we can try to capture the moment. From a creative point of view, I think we should design products that truly represent Hong Kong, and not just by using a dragon or night lights and the skyline, but to make a more in-depth statement about our heritage. 

It has been 12 years since the handover. Does it still resonate with Hong Kong people?
My product line “Queen is Gone” is very personal. I was born in the 1960s, grew up in the ’70s and ’80s. To me it was the golden age of my life. I’m not saying that everything turned bad after Hong Kong’s return to China. But I still appreciate the old Hong Kong under the Queen. I also think it’s another life under the motherland China. I want people to see those differences, so that’s why we did a series that demonstrates things before and after 1997. We aren’t making a political statement, but we can see the interesting way things have changed gradually in Hong Kong. For example, one of our product lines illustrates how the colour of our police uniform has changed since 1997. 

What could other Hong Kong designers learn from your brand?
I think we stand out from others because we focus on our heritage. I think we can make a more in-depth statement in terms of heritage and also through visual communication. When looking at our designs, I want people to think about the rationale behind each design piece. 

Do you think Hong Kong is a good place to develop design?
Yes, simply because Hong Kong is a very interesting place. I can see old things and elements of east-meets-west. And our designs are not just for Hong Kong, because the execution and the creative vision also have a global perspective. I know people from other countries who have come to Hong Kong to appreciate our stuff. When they look at the trams shaped into files, for example, they’ll think it’s part of Hong Kong and that it’s something unique.