The Logo: my surname, reimagined
When I sat down and designed the MadebyMin logo with an artist, I wanted something that represented me: like a signature, but more artistic and eloquent.
At the centre of it is 闵 (Mǐn), my surname, which I am very proud of. Part of me just loves how it's written. In Chinese, when we articulate characters we "spell them out" using the components that make up the character, similar to spelling with an alphabet. Since my surname is quite rare, we describe 闵 as 门字里面一个文 (wén), which roughly translates to literature in a door. wén is genuinely difficult to translate, its meaning shifts with context, sometimes writing, sometimes culture, sometimes civil as opposed to military. That multifaceted quality was something I wanted folded into the logo itself.
I designed 闵 in a more abstract form, framed by a blooming flower. I based the shape off the orchids I used to see in China, to symbolise my hope for growth, and simply because I love flowers. I also took inspiration from the idea of family crests and western artworks that frequently depicted femininity using flower motifs.
I've always liked symmetry, but there was something about being too perfect that felt wrong. I love balance, but I wanted the brand to be a true reflection of life. I also love embroidery, the beauty of threads and lines weaving together to reflect a painting, an emotion or a fantasy. All of this resulted in a slightly unbalanced logo: some curves, some sharp edges which I think is also a reflection of who I am as a person.
This logo embodies layers of thought, heritage, growth, balance and imperfection, a small mark that makes up MadebyMin.