05/06, 2026
Villus Studio: Between story and structure
with Tommy Park and Linda Wang
Written by Kaya Hwang
Villus Studio explores jewelry as a space where narrative, symbolism, and form converge. In this conversation, creative director Tommy Park and designer Linda Wang reflect on the relationship between storytelling and construction, the atmospheres that shape their work, and the distinct world they continue to build through Villus Studio.
On Atmosphere, Movement, and Creative Rhythm
Before discussing specific pieces, is there a particular kind of weather or season in New York that you feel most creatively connected to?
We definitely feel most connected to the city when the seasons start to shift. For us, autumn is that perfect “middle ground” where we can actually think clearly.
Over the years, we’ve realized that we’re not the type of people who can sit in a silent room and come up with ideas. We need to be outside—seeing the city and feeling the atmosphere. Even back in our student days, we were always drawn to shared spaces. That kind of energy makes the creative process feel more alive.
If the weather is good enough to be out in it, that’s usually when our best ideas show up.
On Villus Studio as a State of Mind
If Villus Studio were a kind of weather or season, what would it be?
Villus Studio is winter. Crisp, sharp, cold—and it carries this duality of beauty and brutality.
On Living and Making
On Narrative and Perspective
On Beginning a Collaboration
How did you first begin working together, and what made you realize your perspectives aligned?
We actually started out wanting to build a fashion brand. Linda already had her own line, and I joined to handle art direction and branding.
But as we got deeper into it, we realized we weren’t as excited about clothing as we were about accessories. We both felt that an outfit isn’t really complete until you put on the jewelry. It’s those final elements—the rings, the necklaces—that completely transform the look.
We fell in love with that idea: that there’s so much power in the small things. That’s where our perspectives really clicked.
On Beginning a Collaboration
How did you first begin working together, and what made you realize your perspectives aligned?
We actually started out wanting to build a fashion brand. Linda already had her own line, and I joined to handle art direction and branding.
But as we got deeper into it, we realized we weren’t as excited about clothing as we were about accessories. We both felt that an outfit isn’t really complete until you put on the jewelry. It’s those final elements—the rings, the necklaces—that completely transform the look.
We fell in love with that idea: that there’s so much power in the small things. That’s where our perspectives really clicked.
Do you find that your daily life naturally flows into your work, or do you try to keep the two separate?
I honestly don’t think I could separate the two even if I tried. As a creative, you’re kind of always “on.”
My best ideas rarely come when I’m actually sitting down to work. They usually happen during a random walk through the neighborhood or a casual conversation with a friend. For me, it’s about staying genuinely curious—always asking “why” things are the way they are, or imagining the backstories of people I see.
That curiosity becomes the fuel for everything I do. It naturally seeps into the work.
When encountering a source of inspiration, do you tend to approach it through narrative?When encountering a source of inspiration, do you tend to approach it through narrative?
I’m definitely the one who gets caught up in the story—the “world” an object lives in.
I really believe people are naturally purpose-driven. We’re always looking for a reason to care. When you understand the “why” behind something, or the story of the person who made it, that becomes the real connection point.
To me, that narrative is what makes an object valuable. Otherwise, it’s just “stuff.” So I’m always looking for that thread of a story first.
“By translating the brand’s decade-long creative evolution into a spatial experience, CGS expands the act of discovery into an emotional journey—quietly suggesting new possibilities beyond conventional retail within the global niche fragrance scene.”
Rather than positioning fragrance as an immediate purchase, CGS frames discovery as a gradual process shaped by time, memory, and creative continuity. This approach reflects the brand’s intent to move beyond traditional retail formats and explore how scent can be experienced, remembered, and accumulated.
Details
Brand: CGS
Address: 77-10, TEHERAN-RO 19-GIL, GANGNAM-GU, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
CGS Product
FLOWER STUDY EXTRAIT DE PARFUM 10ML
BAD DREAM EXTRAIT DE PARFUM 10ML
$75
$75
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Citrus awakens the air as white florals bloom and cypress drifts by. Warm musk, sandalwood, and patchouli ground it, with a soft touch of vanilla lingering through the depth.
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Alcohol Denat, Fragrance, Water, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Benzylsalicylate, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Eugenol
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Exotic spices cut through the dark, as smoky tobacco meets soft rose and iris. Warm tonka bean and vanilla linger, blurring dreams into ecstasy.
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Alcohol Denat, Fragrance, Water, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyllonone, Citral
LOVE AND HATE EXTRAIT DE PARFUM 10ML
$75
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Cool tea tree and pine meet spicy cardamom and coriander, while rose and jasmine add sweet allure. Deep notes of agarwood, incense, patchouli, and musk leave a rich, sensual trail.
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Alcohol Denat, Fragrance, Water, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral