Pharrell Williams’ baffling multi-hyphenated prefix has just gotten longer. We meet Williams in Hong Kong at his friend Emmanuel Perrotin’s gallery, the Galerie Perrotin in Central, which represents Pharrell Williams’ furniture designs.

But Williams’ talents don’t end there. He’s a Grammy-winning producer, a fashion icon, the creative mind behind a sunglasses and jewellery collection for Louis Vuitton, and the founder of music group N.E.R.D. and fashion brand Billionaire Boys Club.

Williams is in the city to sit on the panel of Liberatum Hong Kong. Presented by Carrera, the three-day cultural diplomacy festival gives him a platform to share his experiences and his take on modern design. We pull up a chair and end up getting a private aesthetic lesson of our own.

Officially opened in mid-May, we took a sneak peek of the French transplant’s 50 Connaught Road location designed by Andre Fu.

Asia Tatler: If you had to choose one prefix: artist, designer, composer or something else, what would it be?

Pharrell Williams: Expressionist. Because if I say “expressionist,” it allows me to express myself in any mode or on any platform that I choose.

Asia Tatler: What’s the most challenging thing you’ve come across since you’ve established yourself as an artist?

Pharrell Williams: There’s none. We consider ourselves lucky to be in this field. To get paid to do what I do, to do what I love. What’s better than that? What are the real challenges, when you think about it?

Asia Tatler: Can you describe your designs in three words?

Pharrell Williams: Pursuit of articulation.

Asia Tatler: You’ve designed two chairs. One of them looks like a tank and is actually named Tank. What’s the concept behind the piece?

Pharrell Williams: I created the Tank because [I want people to know] what it feels like to be in the seat of someone who doesn’t have a choice but to go into a war – pretty much a tribute to the youth.

Asia Tatler: Why did you try your hand at furniture design?

Pharrell Williams: I like shapes. They motivate me more than anything. You know, shapes are inspiring to people. And well, with the chairs, my aim was to make a physical manifestation of a statement.

Asia Tatler: Do you feel inspired when you’re in Hong Kong?

Pharrell Williams: I’m always inspired when I come to Asia. Asia is like a second home to me. The people and the various cultures here are just very interesting.

Asia Tatler: Where in Asia in particular?

Pharrell Williams: I love Tokyo, and I really like Hong Kong, too.

Asia Tatler: What do you think of designs in Hong Kong, say architecture in this case?

Pharrell Williams: You know, Hong Kong’s architecture is like a machine. The consideration for humans is unmatched. There’s such thought put into how to make things more efficient for a human being. I can’t go so deep and tell you about, like, the carbon footprint, I don’t mean [efficient] on that level. I just mean the user-friendliness of what I have personally experienced here. It’s unmatched.

Asia Tatler: You were here for Liberatum. What did you bring to the festival?

Pharrell Williams: I was a panellist for the most part. I brought my experiences and perspective to an open table. I had no expectations; I went in with more excitement than expectation. You know, openness – diplomacy.

Asia Tatler: Any advice to aspiring designers?

Pharrell Williams: Learn, study, be an apprentice. Find your own voice and build that voice.

Asia Tatler: Were you an apprentice to anyone?

Pharrell Williams: Not really. But when I look across the many different genres of work and different archetypes, it appears that the apprentices always produce the best works because they had a mentor to teach and lead them. It’s important to get enough time to educate yourself and allow your gift or talent to develop. There’s too much for one to learn.

Asia Tatler: Would you ever be a mentor to anyone?

Pharrell Williams: Yes and no. I’m less than a novice in design. I’m learning as I go.

Photography by Terry Tsui

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