Huiyu Yuan

Digital Direction (MA)

CLOSER, YET SO FAR, 2025, CREATIVE DIRECTION BY HUIYU YUAN — "No man is an island," wrote John Donne, yet in today's hyper-connected world, many of us are drifting further apart under the illusion of closeness. While digital technologies have enabled unprecedented forms of connection, they have also quietly reshaped how we relate to ourselves and to others. Sherry Turkle captures this contradiction in Alone Together (2011): "We are connected, but alone." In this environment, virtual networks simulate intimacy but often leave us feeling emotionally unsatisfied and isolated. This project is a critical exploration of the psychological and emotional consequences of online social networking. Set in a multi-sensory virtual space, it invites the audience to reflect on the fragility of digital bonds, the longing for connection and the underlying emptiness that often follows online interactions. Using the metaphor of the island, the project visualises how each person inhabits a private emotional territory, separated not by physical distance but by the limitations of screen-based communication.

FOUR GENTLEMEN, 2023, CREATIVE DIRECTION BY HUIYU YUAN — In Chinese art, the Four Gentlemen or Four Noble Ones is a collective term referring to four plants: the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo and the chrysanthemum. The term compares the four plants to the Confucian junzi, or "gentlemen". In recent years, scholars have used the term junzi without the gender component, so I was inspired to combine a female character with elements of these four plants in this project. To reinterpret the current image of the Four Gentlemen and show the distinctive female beauty from a new perspective.

I SHOP (ONLINE) THEREFORE I AM, 2024, CREATIVE DIRECTION BY HUIYU YUAN — The recession of the real economy and the decline of consumerism do not prevent various shopping sites from filling our lives. The transformation from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping, from reality to virtuality - the inability to "try before you buy" and the lack of real experience with products has forced consumers to continue to drive their shopping process through visual stimulation rather than most directly through the product itself. So what exactly are we consuming? Is it still the product itself or are we just paying for our emotions? This project was inspired by the very different shopping habits of my friend and I. Her great reliance on online shopping prompted me to rethink the meaning of online shopping and its impact on our lives. Barbara Kruger's work I shop therefore I am (1987) plays an important role in this project. The name of the project also makes reference to this work.

THE GAME, 2024, CREATIVE DIRECTION BY HUIYU YUAN — “The Game” is a project that intertwines the art of movement, the power of muscles, and the vibrant collision of colors to create a visual narrative that celebrates the dynamic interplay between fashion and physical expression. It aims to explore how sports embody strength and masculinity, using bold colors to evoke emotion and energy.

About

Huiyu Yuan is currently based in London and Guangzhou, working as an creative director and fashion and art writer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Garment Design and Engineering from South China Agricultural University and a Master’s degree in Digital Direction at the Royal College of Art.

She has worked for ‘Louis Vuitton &’ Exhibition and Marisfrolg Fashion Group, where she was responsible for annual and seasonal content planning for the group’s flagship brand, Marisfrolg. She also managed content creation for official social media platforms such as WeChat Official account and Xiaohongshu account, gaining extensive experience in brand communication. In addition, she has nearly five years of independent experience in fashion and art writing, with a deep understanding of the publishing logic and audience characteristics of major domestic and international social media platforms (including Weibo, WeChat Official Accounts, Xiaohongshu and Instagram). She has established long-term collaborations with magazines such as PUSS PUSS CHINA, À PART CHINA and WAVES.

Her art direction work has been featured in renowned publications such as PAP, tmrw and Purple Pearl. She also possesses versatile skills in styling, set design, film photography, video editing and production. Furthermore, she has cultivated an extensive network of industry resources, including media professionals, influencers, models and brands.

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