About
關於
Danish Simplicity with an Echo of
Hong Kong Sensibility
Design Duality
From Nordic calm to the layered stories of Hong Kong, Kanqvist draws on contrast, the serenity of minimalism and the richness of Chinese cultural history.
Between these influences, Kanqvist finds its voice: designing modern pieces that honour the balance between East and West.
Chi Mei Kan
aka.Timi
簡紫微
With roots in Hong Kong and a life shaped in Denmark, the founder occupies a space between identities, a perspective that naturally flows into her designs.
Originally trained in fashion, she shifted to jewellery in 2013, finding a medium that allows for smaller, more meaningful expressions of form, memory and craft
Our Story
After 5 years at the Danish jewellery brand Aagaard / Kranz & Ziegler, Timi established Kanqvist with her best friend Jan Bo.
Together they spent a few years figuring out which direction to go, playing with illustrations, graphic design, and photography. In 2023, Kanqvist made the decision to focus more on jewellery, accessories, and art.
A place where Jan Bo helped unite Danish minimalism with Hong Kong sensibility, allowing intention and design to evolve into something enduring.
The Meaning Behind the Pieces
Each piece whispers stories of heritage, balance, and belonging, weaving Chinese culture with Danish aesthetics in a quiet celebration of identity and diversity.
Every design reflects this balance: minimalist in form yet rich in meaning. Subtle details, gentle contours, and the natural warmth of gold, the cool luminosity of silver, and the radiance of gemstones give each piece its own soul - jewellery, accessories, and art meant to move with you and merge with your story.
The Roots
Sensibility
In Hong Kong, simplicity takes on a unique form, expressed through unembellished and authentic experiences of everyday life. From the bustling high-rises of Hong Kong Island to the quiet village of Tsung Pak Long and Sheung Shui Wai in Sheung Shui, one encounters an atmosphere of humbleness and ease, the very place where Timi’s parents grew up.
The weathered exteriors of houses, small buildings, and local restaurants with vintage interiors evoke a sense of functionality, an unconcerned attitude, and a gentle nostalgia.
The Influence
Simplicity
Shaped by fleeting impressions from daily life in Denmark and visits to her parents’ village in Hong Kong, these memories inspire her work, exploring ways to capture the emotion of a simpler, more grounded way of life.
This creative process sparks imagination and curiosity, guiding her on an exploratory journey into the intersections of Danish and Chinese culture, uncovering stories yet to be told.
Standing beside the H.C. Andersen Museum in Odense, designed by Kengo Kuma, she is reminded of how Andersen drew from everyday moments to shape his stories, much like how her own surroundings and memories continue to guide her creative journey.
