Phoebe Chan
Two years ago, Phoebe Chan (right) returned empty-handed from the World Balloon Convention. This year, she took home the New Artist of the Year prize from the convention in Dallas, Texas. The balloon-art innovator shares her passion for anything out of the box with Yannie Chan.
HK Magazine: How did you become drawn to balloon twisting?
Phoebe Chan: I was watching television with my daughter one morning three years ago, and the show featured a balloon twister. As I watched him work with the balloons, I became absolutely mesmerized—I believe I enjoyed the show far more than my daughter did—by his creation of birds, cartoon characters and parrots. Immediately I recorded the show, and tried to copy each step with balloons I bought from the bookstore. The period after this marked my double life—practicing balloon twisting after I returned from work [creating occupational safety and health training courses] at night.
HK: Is balloon twisting difficult?
PC: More than most people think. There are only five Certified Balloon Artists in Hong Kong, including me, and not many pass the Certified Balloon Artist Practical Exam on the first try. The examination includes three written tests and a three-hour practical exam. You have to be familiar with all the techniques, like how to twist [the balloons] to get a specific shape. Surprisingly I, a self-taught balloon twister, passed the first time. I believe it was mainly due to my having studied design at university.
HK: How did you come up with the idea of making clothes out of balloons?
PC: At first I only made balloon decorations. But I always like to try out new things. So after looking it up on the internet, and taking knitting as an inspiration, I decided to experiment with making a balloon dress. I have actually always been interested in fashion, but my father, who owns a textile factory, did not like the idea. So I guess I’m fulfilling a long-time dream here, just with a rather crazy element.
HK: Balloons always give out this casual and carnival vibe. How do you break that thinking and make fashion out of balloons?
PC: It’s about insisting in the quality and details. Balloon dresses are for people, so my goal is to make the wearer look beautiful. I’m not boasting here, but I always make sure my balloon dress is a perfect fit for my client. It’s very important because balloons are bulky and can add weight visually. I work my way around that by making the dress some sizes smaller. If a client has a 25-inch waist, the dress will have a 23-inch waist. I always keep a woman’s body in mind when designing a dress.
HK: How much does a balloon wedding dress cost?
PC: It varies depending on the complexity and length of the dress, ranging from $3,000 to around $10,000. It is so [much] because they are knitted completely by hand, with a short production period as balloons become flaccid after a while. We only have at most two days to complete the dress, meaning we have to work overnight a lot. A balloon is put within another balloon to achieve a specific color. That requires a lot of effort, too.
HK: What does it take to be a good balloon twister?
PC: First you have to be undaunted by failure. Be ready to start all over again if something goes wrong with the dress. Patience is also extra important. Since there’s only a limited time to complete a balloon dress, you have to knit non-stop, and resting is not really an option. Last but not least, you have to be resistant to pain. I had no idea how painful it can get. My fingers once got an inflammation, and I could not even make a fist. Balloon twisting wears down the joints in your fingers.