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Vermillion, a brand-new online portal providing businesses and design professionals exclusive access to a curated collection of luxury Asian design and lifestyle brands, announces its official launch today. An homage to both iconic and emerging Asian artisans with inspiring stories, exquisite products and authentic design philosophies, Vermillion is the first business-to-business platform showcasing a unique range of Asia-made products for leading businesses around the globe.*
Representing bespoke homeware and decor, wellness products and one-of-a-kind artworks from China, Japan, Southeast Asia and beyond, Vermillion currently showcases 150 brands on its highly curated platform with new products and creators added weekly. The platform seeks to digitalize and simplify the sourcing experience for businesses, presenting clients with an impressive design assortment along a seamless, user-centric procurement journey with the support of proprietary big data and AI analytics.
Vermillion functions as a discovery platform and lifestyle companion for design professionals and businesses alike to bring them closer to their design aspirations without the need for travel or the navigation of shipping logistics. From styling to product customization, the platform offers personalized services with expert team members on the ground in all key regional markets to provide buyers with an upscale one-stop-shop experience.
Vermillion’s name is inspired by the vibrant red pigment, vermillion, extracted from the mineral cinnabar that has been widely used in the art of ancient and modern civilizations since 7000 BC – from illustrated manuscripts of the Middle Ages to Hindu festivities and lacquerware across Asia. Taking inspiration from vermillion’s historic impact on Asian art and culture, the new online portal aims to represent Asia’s most celebrated creatives of today who are energetic, versatile, soulful, resilient and passionate about creating a new lifestyle manifesto.
Paying tribute to the cultural values, heritage and personal stories that stand behind each brand, Vermillion also features editorial stories and interviews with notable designers and industry experts that delve into Asian cultures from their histories of traditional regional crafts, to the journey towards sustainability in the Asian design world.
The brands featured on Vermillion range from esteemed, well-established designers to hidden gem creators, including Hong Kong’s multi-award-winning design maestro Alan Chan with Alan Chan Creations, internationally acclaimed Hans Tan Studio from Singapore which invites design enthusiasts on a visual discourse through the past and present of the design industry with their ornate porcelain vessels, renowned Chinese ink artist Ann Niu Studio, or Hong Kong-based Julie & Jesse’s innovative ceramics that challenge the modern perception of sculptural art.
Embracing creatives from eight geographies – Greater China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India and the Philippines – Vermillion’s portfolio celebrates design talents across Asia, including those yet to be discovered by an international audience:
Singaporean design brand, wohabeing, is backed by award-winning architectural firm WOHA and helmed by Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassel. The high-end brand redefines the perception of elegance with its bespoke homeware and furniture made with a distinct focus on innovation as well as social and environmental sustainability. Their latest Blossom collection was developed out of two primary geometric shapes – the circle signifying heaven, whilst the square symbolizes earth – evolving into a budding blossom which epitomizes growth.
Blossom Gold Show Plate Set by wohabeing
The Birth Stand by h220430
Hailing from Japan, h220430 was established by Satoshi Itasaka, the prominent Japanese product designer and founder of the architectural firm The Design Labo. h220430 seeks to provoke a dialogue between its minimalistic furniture and lighting pieces, designed to stimulate thought about worldly issues, such as environmental deterioration. One of his latest masterpieces is The Birth Stand – Itasaka’s interpretation of the enigmatic nature of life, which sends out a flickering light mimicking the beating of a heart.
An ode to Thai culture and art, Kitt.Ta.Khon takes cues from their cultural heritage to craft bespoke chairs and stools that offer a daring take on local weaving traditions. The vibrant chair collection rendered in graphic black-and-white or electric neon hues has unfinished touches that give it a modern and edgy feel. Paying tribute to craft techniques from around the globe combined with natural materials, Kitt.Ta.Khon creates eye-catching handwoven furniture pieces which reflect Thailand’s unique melting pot culture.
Thread Glass Teapot by Let’s Talk Glass + Tranquility Four Peaks Brush Rack by Qin
Wang Qin Studio is a Chinese design studio that takes inspiration from Chinese poetry, with every object inspired by an original poem. The brand has two product lines: Let’s Talk Glass, a sophisticated and progressive collection of sculptural glassware, that reinterprets classic Chinese poetry through colour, material, form and function. The second product line, Qin presents abstract objects that reinterpret and capture the ritual, style and philosophy of Chinese calligraphy and ink painting, with each product designed for the use of practicing calligraphy.
Acclaimed Hong Kong-born designer and artist, Stanley Wong, also known as anothermountainman, evokes thoughts through his compelling art, design, photography and advertising works – never constrained to one single medium. In his Red White Blue series, he unveils his conception of ‘the positive spirit of Hong Kong’ and invites his audience to explore the world through his eyes whilst also relooking at the way they live their own lives.
Back to the Future, Vase 9 + Back to the Future, Vase 10, Red White Blue Series by anothermountainman
Smart Herbal Brewer by Lify Wellness
Hong Kong-based Lify Wellness represents a marriage between traditional herbal knowledge and science to make wellness more accessible for the modern consumer. The award-winning wellness technology brand promotes a healthier lifestyle and ‘Wellness from Within’ through its newly launched Smart Herbal Brewer which brews personalized, fresh herbal drinks, as well as its botanical-driven ready-to-drink tonics infused with herbal teas, matcha or goji berries amongst other superfoods.
“There is so much design talent in Asia today. Yet, when we think of luxury lifestyle brands, oftentimes only European and Western designs come to mind. Vermillion offers a platform that connects contemporary Asian designers and creatives with the world, whilst sparking an appreciation for our collective craft and cultural heritage, philosophies and values through our design pieces. Our growing portfolio of captivating Asian creators portrays the breadth of Asian culture and history – past, present and future – as we strive to conserve and convey our heritage and artistry,” says Krizia Li, Founder and CEO of Vermillion. “It’s our mission to offer the world a window to exceptional Asian artistry by creating a New Asian Lifestyle Movement that elevates the perception of Asian design across the oceans.”
*All prices on Vermillion’s platform are in USD.