Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Tan.
Karen, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in Paris. My family came to France after the fall of the Cambodian regime by the Khmer communist in 1975. They were the first generation of Cambodian Chinese naturalized French in France. I grew up in Paris with a Parisian-Chinese upbringing. My parents offered me the education they never had. I followed my dream and graduated from both Ecole Camondo in Paris and ArtCenter College of design in Pasadena. My style reflects the richness and multiple contributions of three continents.
Being at the crossroads of three different and complementary cultures, and being trilingual lead me to an international career. I interned at various design agencies around the world from Paris to New York, Hong Kong to Los Angeles. I had designed luxury apartments in Hong Kong, pop-up stores and trendy nightclubs in Seoul, at Urbantainer agency. I worked in between Paris and London assisting the interior architect of LVMH – Arnault Group to design private residentials. After ArtCenter College of Design, I decided to stay in LA as opportunities arose. I was lucky to receive referrals from ArtCenter’s strong alumni network and started a freelance designer career in experiential marketing agencies, a growing market.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Having a creative job has always being my dream since I was little. I started out as a fashion intern in the heart of the fashion district in NYC back in 2008, before discovering that it wasn’t a world for me.
I went back to school and studied Interior Architecture and Design at a top Parisian interior architecture and design school, Ecole Camondo, then I continued my education at ArtCenter college of design in Pasadena. I struggled for a long time to not get too personal with my work. With every project you work on, you give a little bit of yourself in its design. Working in a creative environment with others can lead to a conflict of ideas. Finding a collaborative balance didn’t come easy, especially in an industry that has quick deadlines and fast turnarounds. This is one of those things that became easier as I got more years of experience.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m a concept driven experiential designer. I create immersive environments that connect brands to consumers. My mediums are 3D and 2D design, branding, environmental graphics. I bring a lot of passion to each of my projects. I truly believe that design has the power to improve people’s life and psychological well-being.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
Seeing people interacting with the spaces and creating memories is what makes me love what I do. I always said I like to create dreamlike spaces so people can get out of the ordinary.
Contact Info:
- Website: karentandesign.com
- Phone: 626-221-5687
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karentaneap/?hl=en
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