Ivan (Yichen) Zhao is a jewellery artist and designer who earned his undergraduate degree in jewellery from Central Saint Martins, UAL, and is currently studying in the Jewellery and Metal programme at the Royal College of Art. He lives and works between the UK and China.

Yichen employs humour and thoughtfulness in his work, blending design and production methods to question the identity and meaning of jewellery and objects. His creations are personal responses to everyday experiences and observations.

He works independently and collaboratively on private and public commissions, personal research projects, and group design endeavours. Yichen also has experience working with various brands.

Jewels have always been ornaments for the body, just as diamonds have long symbolised love. Every object carries its own narrative and voice. Yichen Zhao is fascinated by the relationship between the material and immaterial worlds. Jewellery and metal form the core of his self-expression, as he explores the boundaries between object and jewellery to uncover new possibilities in the world. He works with a variety of materials and combinations of objects, continually pushing creative boundaries.