Opal was born in the sunshine, the water and the air of 1990s, when prosperity began to bloom all over the reviving China.In 1993, upon his returning from overseas studies, Xiaojie Zhu named his furniture label “Opal”, as he could not forget the bright colors of the Australian jewel, as well as his life in Australia.
Based in Wenzhou, land of dreams, the design headquarter of Opal is also a piece of work by Xiaojie, in which he recalled the childhood ballad “Up the hills, we eat the wheat cakes; little bugs here and there, down the chilly mountain spring”.
The Opal manufacture center is located in Luxu, Suzhou, with factory walls covered up by plants, the joy of life permeated in the air. The building is again a Xiaojie design.
Twenty years slipped through, the young Opal now stands firmly with a cultural tradition enriched by the five-thousand-year Chinese civilization.
Opal’s uniqueness stems from its belief and distinctive choice of materials. For instance, the African wood Zingana: her striking beauty comes from such a remote land, which leads people to imagine, to feel and to touch…
Her beauty seizes you, like meeting the lover of your dream. Her texture is incompatible and was therefore given the Chinese name “Wu-jin Wood” (black-gold wood), passing around the country like a myth.
Several hundred years could be long and short: long enough to witness the rise and down of a few dynasties; or short enough to mature one Zingana plant.
The more and better Opal gets to know Zingana, the more attachment is developed for her: the crudity in her tenderness, the innocence that comes along with vicissitudes, especially the rebellious character, make her an angel from the dream.
At Opal’s design headquarter and factory, more than thirty craftsmen are devoting their energy and passion everyday to making the most extraordinary everyday objects, and to preserve Zangana’s beauty.
A classic design rises at the conjunction of experience, craftsmanship and the choice of a perfect material. Opal is ready with the three elements.
However, the strongest support of the brand is owing to the firm Opal belief and a passion for life, both coming from the one same place: Wenzhou.
Wenzhou gave life to Opal. Not only does the land bear the most delicate emotions for life, it also regard objects as individuals with life, be it a piece of ware, furniture, the interior design, architecture, wood or rock…
In 20 years, Opal not only became a part of thousands of homes, but also the 2010 Expo China Pavilion and National museum of China.
Also behind Opal’s values is Laozi, of Taoism.
“Tao gave birth to the One; the One gave birth successively to two things, three things, up to ten thousand.”Rock, bamboo, soil, climbing vine, water flow, sunshine…the belief to live in harmony with the nature permeates the Opal building. Innocent at heart, assembled in shape. Simplicity, sophistication and peacefulness reunite in the Zen enlightenment.
Such combination of the natural philosophy and design continues to drive Opal to enter the global market.
In 2010, Opal participated The International Furnishing Show in Koln (Germany) following the exhibition theme “Chinese Furniture from 400 Years ago”, and impressed the show with the Eastern design aesthetics.
In 2010, Opal was invited to design furniture for the China Pavilion at Shanghai Expo. More than 300 furniture pieces were selected and presented at China Pavilion.
In 2011,Opal collaborated with Kopenhagen Fur to create designs for Milan Design Week. The works amazed the design and fashion world, and among the collection two rose chairs were given to Denmark Prince Joachim and Princess Marie as gifts.
In 2012, works from Opal staged at Milan Design Week in the exhibition “Slow Seating – Contemporary Chinese Design”, and again amazed the visitors.
In 2o12, Opal works – the Coin Chair, Rose Chair, Twin Stools – became permanent collection of the National Art Museum of China after the first China Design Exhibition “Sit Down and Enjoy the Craftsmanship”. It is a groundbreaking event for design in China – previously only craftworks by artists were collected by museums.
At Milan Design Week 2013 in April, Xiaojie is again invited by Beijing Design Week to be chief curator of the new exhibition “Slow Seating, Tea Drinking”. Tea table designed by Opal and collaborated tea cups with Dutch ceramic artists were on show at the exhibition. The exhibition not only visually presented the way of Chinese living, but also served as an opportunity for the rest of the world to taste the most original Chinese life.
In the early spring of 2013, Opal reached an agreement with top Italian furniture brand Poltrona Frau on design and technology collaborations, looking to bring Opal onto the next level.
“Collectable contemporary furniture”
“Collectable contemporary furniture” is how the market described Opal. All Opal pieces are unique, true to their Chinese ethnicity, and carry the scents of their homeland. Embracing the nature, embracing the moment – Opal ignites our everyday with the passion for life.
Lovely home, enchanting Wenzhou, beautiful China.” Opal looks forward to this future.