Meet Angela Yeung
Angela Yeung is an award-winning jewellery designer living in Egoli. She is does ballroom dancing and is the secretary general of the TCA.
"Be aware that each one of us has our own personal diamond within– each person is unique and has the potential to add their own special value to the society. Be proud of who you are and where you have come from." ~ Angela Yeung
Read more about why Angela is proud to be Chinese and proud to be South African.
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Name: Angela Yeung
Occupation: Founder of Impilo Collection (Bespoke Jewellery Designer)
1. Where were you born?
I was born in Hong Kong and my family immigrated to SA when I was 13.
2. What school/college/university did you attend?
I matriculated at Brebner High School (Bloemfontein). After school I decided to leave the nest and study in Johannesburg. Although I always had an eye for art, I studied Financial Information Systems at the University of Johannesburg. They say that the first qualification you get is for your parents. Thereafter I went on to study through the Gemology Institution of America to completed the Graduate Diamonds Program and Accredited Jeweller Professional Diploma.
3. What is your fondest childhood memory, growing up as a Chinese child?
As a child, Sunday was it was an opportunity to meet up with other Chinese families to play badminton. After a day of sport, we would all go for a feast as someone’s house or restaurant. Food plays a very special role in my memory growing up as it is associated with the excitement of helping my parents to prepare the delicious food and hours of fun and laughter with family and friends.
4. What is your favourite Chinese food?
My two favourite foods are Hot pot and Yum Cha! There are just too many delicious foods to limit it to one dish. In both Hot Pot and Yum Cha it allows for the tasting and enjoyment of many flavours and textures at the same time!
5. Where do you live?
Johannesburg, eGoli… The City of Gold.
6. What work do you do?
I am the founder of a jewellery designing business that focusses on bespoke jewellery design and manufacture for individual clients. I like to think of it as giving life to dreams. A big part of this requires educating my clients on the value of specific jewellery. This helps them to make informed decisions that not only hold sentimental value for generations to come but also serve as a long-term investment.
7. What do you love about your job?
I love the journey I undertake with each individual to understand their stories and celebrate moments in life (Impilo) in specific pieces they want for birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, weddings, birth of a child, etc. (the soul). It is most gratifying to see an individual’s ideas take shape and their excitement grow until they are presented with the finished product(the body). A combination of old-school metal-smith and technology is used to deliver quality and efficiency.
8. What is your proudest achievement?
Winning the jewellery designer award of Anglo Gold Ashanti and being elected as the first Asian female executive committee member at the diamond dealers club of South Africa.
All these would not be achieved without the support of my family.
9. Why are you proud to be South African?
Our natural beauty of the African sky, the rich resources of the African land and the warmest African people.
Witnessing the birth of our democracy and to be part of this rainbow nation was and still is a humbling experience. The gratitude and forgiveness of the colourful and diversified cultures in South Africa is an inspiration to many.
10. Why are you proud to be Chinese?
Chinese culture is over 5000 years old. The writing and language has evolved to the extent that words and phrases have a far deeper meaning.
Chinese wisdom emanates from its culture, language, calligraphy, aesthetics, martial arts and Chinese instruments that form the basis of Chinese Music.
活在當下 “to live in the moment” underpins Chinese philosophy and is the reason for the success of Chinese people.
Chinese emphasize holistic thinking and this allows them to make the most of difficult situations. This can be seen through the immigration of Chinese people throughout the world establishing successful businesses and making a home in new countries.
Together all these things is what makes being Chinese special.
11. Name one Chinese tradition that you’d like future generations to continue with?
Speaking, reading, writing Chinese.
12. What advice would you give to the Chinese youth today in South Africa?
Be aware that each one of us has our own personal diamond within– each person is unique and has the potential to add their own special value to the society.
Be proud of who you are and where you have come from.
Want to contact Angela Yeung?
Visit Angela's website http://www.impilocollection.co.za/
or contact +27 84-2179181
Born in Hong Kong, Angela immigrated to South Africa as a young child. Through her years of subsequent travel between Asia and Africa, Angela developed her unique design aesthetic: a blend of Asian and African style and culture.
Inspired by the fine jewellery she found in the East, and Africa’s abundant precious metals and minerals, Angela studied metalsmith crafting before going on to qualify through the Gemological Institute of America as a “Diamond Grading Graduate”.
In 2005, Angela founded her own jewellery company, Impilo Collection, which specialises in the design and manufacture of both bespoke jewellery commissions for private clients and contemporary art jewellery collections.
“Impilo” is a word taken from Zulu which means “Life”.
Angela’s pieces challenge the conventional to create new, exciting forms which represent the essence of life.
In 2014, Angela was a winner in the AngloGold Ashanti AuDITIONS gold jewellery design competition for her elaborate headpiece entitled “Connect”.
Her work has been featured on CCTV, China Review News, Cliff Central, SA Wedding Magazine, Cheek 2 Cheeks magazines, Sandton Magazine, Showbiz In Full HD and The Star Newspaper.
She has also exhibited her work in Hong Kong, China, Japan and London. She was selected by the Chinese government as an "Eminent Overseas Chinese Youth" and was invited to be part of a delegation representing South Africa in Beijing 2017.
When she is not working Angela also participate in ballroom dancing competitions:
In 2014, she has won acclaim as a ballroom and Latin American dancer. In the United States Ballroom Championships, she won four gold medals for single dances.
In 2016, In the World Pro Am Disney Competition in Paris, she won two silver medals for single dances.
In 2017, the Rumba in the Jungle International Dance Festival, supported by the South African Department of Culture, Art and Traditional Affairs, she won two gold medals.
In additions she is currently the secretary general of TCA and is a supporter of and contributor to the 67 Blankets charity initiative in honour of the late president Nelson Mandela over the past three years.
