Caroline Leung
Director (Interior Design) 8 Design Lab
Caroline is an interior designer with a specialisation in luxury retail. Her areas of expertise are high-end fashion, cosmetics and watches. She completed her Interior Design training at the Hong Kong Technical Institute. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine Arts from RMIT University.
Since commencing her interior designer career in 1989, she has worked in international interior design firms in Hong Kong and Australia. Caroline first gained her design experience through her direct involvement with the delivery of the Beijing Grand Hyatt Hotel. She worked as the project designer responsible for designing its entire public areas, including intricate construction detailed design. In 2000, she joined Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) Fashion Group as a senior project manager for luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Loewe in the Asia Pacific region. As the store designer for Loewe, Caroline was responsible for establishing a global transitional design concept for the brand. In 2010, Caroline joined Dior Perfumes and Cosmetics, changing her focus on developing a Travel Retail network.
In 2014, Caroline's curiosity towards the luxury watch industry saw her joining IWC Schaffhausen of the Richemont Group as the architecture manager and trade marketing manager. There, she was directly involved with delivering the renowned annual Watches and Wonder project in Hong Kong, where she led and directed the exhibition. Since 2000, Caroline has established her skills in luxury retail design, project management, and brand marketing. Under her leadership, over 200 retail shops were opened in Australia, Hong Kong, China, Bahrain, Fiji, Korea, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Micronesia, Thailand, Singapore, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
Caroline's approach to design is to appreciate the client's business philosophy. Her understanding of operational issues and business development requirements assist in the alignment of the client's vision and her design aesthetics. In her experience with luxury retail design, Caroline acknowledges that each market has a distinctive cultural and geographical difference and when planning for a new project, she incorporates these elements into the plan. Her appreciation of different work cultures has helped her establish a diverse network of international contractors, millwork contractors, and suppliers in the Asia Pacific and Europe. Caroline is meticulous with her work and is known for her communication skills, attention to detail, and appreciation for fine craftsmanship.
Since returning to Australia in 2016, Caroline has continued to work in the luxury retail sector. She is currently working with Andrew Hogg on projects that include Bottega Veneta, Loewe and residential projects.