Who? Born in the Netherlands of Dutch, French and Chinese descent, Ree Yong ( www.reeyong.com ) specialises in the design of pet furniture and accessories. Since she started her business in 2005, she has developed a client base through a network of veterinarians, pet-grooming salons and friends. She has a showroom in Sheung Wan, where her works can be viewed. An animal lover, she donates 5 per cent of her profits to Hong Kong Dog Rescue. How did she get into design? Her 'eye for design' and love of animals (she has raised four dogs, five cats, two rabbits, nine birds, a turtle and numerous fish) moved her towards the profession. After finishing her degree in European studies, she became a sales assistant at a lifestyle boutique in Amsterdam before opening her own shop in the city. Surrounded by stylish products, she started to 'have a feeling for design'. She later moved to Denmark and was inadvertently inspired by some 'ugly' products. 'I lived in a tiny flat in Copenhagen with two cats,' she says. 'The pet furniture was so ugly and boring. I hated it and wondered why there wasn't any nice furniture for pets.' Shortly after moving to Hong Kong with her husband, she left her human-resources job at Ikea and ventured into design. What's her design philosophy? To create 'good-looking and inexpensive' pet furniture and accessories that complement the interior of a home. Her Copenhagen Collection features clean, modern Scandinavian lines. To achieve affordable prices, she uses materials such as imitation leather, which has the additional advantage of being durable and easy to clean. What are her products like? Yong's 12-piece collection includes a pet carrier that can double as a woman's handbag, a small feeding table (far left) that allows a dog to eat without stooping and straining its neck, and a three-stack cat condo (left) that features a bed and a litter box with a disposable cardboard liner. Most items come in white or brown. 'I try to make them look like designer pieces that can easily blend with other home furniture,' she says. 'I want to design not just for cats and dogs but also for birds and fish. I'm planning to design a bird cage that will come out next year. I also have plans for a groovy aquarium. I've designed one but it leaked. I'll try again.'
