Finding the Voice Within

Words by: Tanya Singh


In celebration of International Women's Day, we present the talented women that bring grace, compassion, and elegance to the Vermillion portfolio.


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A fuchsia wall, a curvaceous vase, a lace-trimmed tablecloth – these are all stereotypical examples of what was once termed as "feminine design". However, with gender norms becoming less rigid and boundaries getting blurrier by the day, curvy lines and soft colors have long moved past the stereotype.

Women make up over 60% of the design industry today. From leading innovative brands to designing exquisite modern homeware – we are doing it all, all the while breaking out of the gender biases that have existed for centuries. Is there still a place left for "feminine design" in our world then? How are women redefining it to authentically represent the female voice of today?

For this International Women's Day celebration piece, we took a deep dive into the Vermillion portfolio to uncover how female Asian creators and business owners add their own feminine touch to their practice.


Voice Within_02 Botanic Pretti5 is a modern skincare solution designed to combat stressed and sensitive skin, pollution and premature ageing.


Some do it by recognizing a problem in their community that needs solving. A business built on compassion for the users, primarily female, Botanic Pretti5 was born because the founder, Dorothy Chau, wanted to help her friend suffering from skin irritation. Addressing the needs of women around the world, the brand is dedicated towards creating clean products suitable for sensitive skin inspired by nature.


Voice Within_03 Sanchia is dedicated to bringing some art to the closet and transform everyday life into a fashionable museum.


Other brands, like Sanchia, translate the contemporary female voice into products with style and depth. Bringing fine art sensibilities into the fashion sphere, the loungewear brand wants to become a medium for women around the world to express their personalities and individual styles.


Voice Within_04 The Mama Stoneware Vase by Joyce Lung Yuet Ching


For Joyce Lung Yuet Ching, ceramics are a way to convey untold stories. By creating functional, sculptural art, the artist brings her voice to the domestic sphere. She gives life to inanimate forms by giving them human features, often borrowing inspiration from the environment around her to create bizarre yet meaningful works of art. While she was studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she discovered her love for anthropological objects like African masks and ancient Chinese vessels, a reflection of which can be seen in the childlike naivete that she adds to her creations. The Mama Stoneware Vase features a woman with a horseback full of beautiful, blooming flowers, unveiling a metaphor for anyone willing to see it. Above all, somewhere between the real and the unreal, Lung creates reflections of her own voice and the voice of other women in her profound yet abstract, utilitarian ceramics. 


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Kokoro Light Sculptures (Emma) and (Neri) by gellyvieve.


Using clay as her medium of expression, Genevieve Ang or gellyvieve as she is known in the art world, also tells stories about relatable characters and inanimate objects that have an impactful presence in our lives. The Kokoro Light Sculptures, for instance, light up from their heart or 'kokoro' and sit by, "giving light and reminding you that you are not alone". In one of the renditions of the sculptural series, the character, Emma, is revealed. "Emma is the name of a girl full of curiosity and sensitive to everything around, maybe too sensitive. The world can sometimes be overwhelming but despite that, she will shine". In another, the face of Neri surfaces. "Neri is an old granny, sitting by and watching over you". Bringing a child-like curiosity and womanly tenderness into her sculptures, gellyvieve's compassionate characters create a safe space for anyone who needs it.


Voice Within_05 Rattan Wrapped Ceramic Pot series by atinymaker


While some female creators personify their creations, others exhibit grace and feminal introspection in their techniques. There is something inherently female about the care and precision with which rattan artist and researcher, Ng Si Ying, better known as atinymaker weaves rattan bodices for her clay vases. Not only is the Rattan Wrapped Ceramic Pot visually reminiscent of a female form, but the weaving technique is also delicate yet sturdy, and fluid yet decisive. On the other hand, a "contemplative ceramic practitioner", Aor Sutthiprapha translates her own personality into minimalistic yet striking designs. Her creative technique transcends the material world into a meditative journey governed by her own thoughts and self-awareness. Her designs, like the Internal Dialogue series, are reflections, although abstract, of her as an artist. Similarly, the ceramics by Nagisa Shirai display an effeminate elegance perfected by continued practice. Her works are a result of a unique technique that is a blend of ancient Japanese methods and her own experimentations as a ceramic artist. The Slip Marbling Plate, a beautiful work featuring dripping ink, for example, is a true expression of the artist's personality.


Voice Within_06 Left to right: Internal Dialog Vases by Aor Sutthiprapha; Slip Marbling Plate by Nagisa Shirai


Perhaps, feminine design is not made up of recognizable elements, soft textures, and vibrant colors at all. Maybe it exists in the individual practices of female creators, designers and business-owners in the form of compassion for the user, patience for the material, love for the art, and devotion to breaking boundaries. Or maybe it is represented by the success that women in the industry already have and are yet to achieve.