The Pastille Collection by Emeline Ong blends traditional craft techniques with technological advancement to create a brutalist take on adorable design. Like concrete dipped into candy-like colors, these beautiful pieces are handmade through a labor-intensive process, utilizing paper pulp mixed with a composite. This mixture is tamped into various molds and allowed to dry, creating unique ridges based on where the plates meet. This rough finish is juxtaposed elegantly with pastel coloring, creating organic undulations as the material meets at different consistencies.
In the Pastille Collection, we have the Bubblegum Pink Table, the Lilac Table, and the Low Blue Milk Table. The collection, when viewed all at once, is approachable. Forms that we all know and love are on full display here, featuring swooping fillets and low, accessible platforms.
The designer thoughtfully lets us in on the process, offering a behind-the-scenes video where she details how the collection is made. The filling and eventual demolding process is a delight to see, and lets the viewer in on exactly how much time it takes to make these pieces by hand.
First, the molds are screwed together and tension panels are installed to minimize any warping during the drying process. The paper pulp composite is mixed with a small amount of dye, to create a pastel hue. The mixture is pretty thick, so it must be tamped down with a wooden rod. This process creates the undulations seen in the base, from the slight differences of pressure and placement that is so unique to the human hand. After the composite is done drying, the piece is taken out of its mold. The mold creates ridges, from the minimal amounts of composite stuck between the panels of the mold. These beautiful traces of production are usually sanded down or made less visible. Yet here, Ong celebrates these natural tendencies of the material, leaning in to the act of creation.
This collection delves into the physical marks of making, and how we can uplift these handmade details as evidence of humanity rather than an imperfection waiting to be ground down. The soft, undulating layers speak to the composite’s sedimentary nature, overlapping and organic. No two pieces exactly alike, this collection blends sustainability and handicraft in a modern way, in forms that stand the test of time.
Emeline Ong is a designer based in Singapore. Inspired by sugary confections, her work has a strong feeling of joy and whimsy, embodying a playful dreamscape. She celebrates the wonder of creating, powered by a deep curiosity of the world. In this scope, she is also directed by rituals and daily life, the rhythms that we naturally fall into. Her works have been shown at prestigious design events such as Salone de Mobile during Milan Design Week, and featured in publications such as IFDM and Effect Magazine.
For more on the Pastille Collection, click here. To follow updates from the designer on Instagram, click here.
