FormArt proves it don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that bling.
Founded & designed in NoMad
While it’s not likely, you may one day need cover a double decker bus in crystals. And when that day comes, Sheung Mei Liu and her team at FormArt should be your first — and last — call.
A true visionary, Lu did in fact add a significant amount of bling to a double decker bus in 2018. One of her largest commissions to date, the project tapped five artists and 350,000 individual Swarovski crystals over the course of a month to complete the design.
Lu moved to NoMad 15 years ago after searching for a new location. What she found turned out to be just what she was looking for: a safe neighborhood to grow her business, accessibility to public transportation (for her employees and clients), and, as an added bonus, a Fifth Avenue address. NoMad became home to her growing business, with space for both showroom — where high end clients visit — and factory where her designs are made. In fact, Lu is so committed to the neighborhood that when she needed even more space, she opted to move floors in their current building rather than go elsewhere.
You could say the bling started with an admiration of 80s jewelry design icon Wendy Gell, who was known for her elaborate, bold, and colorful creations. Gell’s influence led Lu to design a pair of crystal earrings, the success of which led to the creation of The Bellini Collection, a line of crystal jewelry. But as the demand for big stones dwindled, Lu moved her design efforts into smaller, flat-back crystals. That was nearly 35 years ago, and today — literally millions of crystals later — Lu and her company FormArt are known as the go-to experts when something needs to get blinged. Like a bus. Or a basketball.
This level of bling has been a learning experience, said Lu, who became frustrated when crystals would pop off some of her early creations. Not one to give up, she began to experiment and test new application methods, ultimately developing a series of proprietorial practices that led to enhanced durability and longevity for her designs. “Every surface must be carefully evaluated,” she explained. “Is the surface textured or smooth? Flat or round? What is it made of? Depending on the item, there is an exact science to picking the right glues and order of application to attach the stones.”
Working exclusively with Swarovski crystals, Lu and her team are a trusted partner of the brand and often co-create products or work on official prototypes. Demand for her work is high, and her proficiency renowned, so she eventually shuttered The Bellini Collection to work full-time on designs and embellishments for others.
The FormArt New York City-based team of artists each glue between 2,000 and 3,000 individual crystals a day. “Every piece we create is made by hand and to excel, they must approach each piece like a work of art,” she says. “Anyone I hire must have a background in art or design, and perseverance, as It can take up to 3 years of experience to be able to work independently.” Most of her team of 20 has been with her for over 10 years and in the course of a year, handle more crystals than anyone else in the United States.
The FormArt office is an extraordinary “crystal museum” filled with sparkling tubs of Vaseline, Moet & Chandon Champagne bottles, Bond fragrance, a Supreme skateboard, NFL and NBA balls, and a life-sized wall trophy marlin. Each item is covered in an array of sparkling colorful crystals. Lu’s personal favorite pieces are the blinged skateboards because she can really show her creativity.
FormArt has had their work featured in the windows of Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, and the Museum of Chinese History in New York. They have developed new ways to bling a photograph to life and have even embellished working trumpets and saxophones. Pity the mundane stapler that has yet to benefit from the skills of the FormArt team.
Whether it’s a gift item, an award, or a piece of art, if you can imagine it, the FormArt team can bling it. Why not see for yourself? Lu invites you to make an appointment to meet them in person.