Wynn Wynn Ong’s artistic legacy, distilled

Wynn Wyn Ong is back.

After a six-year absence from the scene, she is mounting Distilled, opening Nov. 5 at the Yuchengco Museum, to honor her design career and her atelier, Artisanal Works, featuring quintessential pieces, including some never seen before, from private commissions and the designer’s own collection. This is a chance to see, up close, the pieces of this influential designer known for her mastery of craftsmanship and innovative use of materials while merging cultural and historical aesthetics and storytelling in an impressive oeuvre that spans jewelry to bejeweled lights and furniture.

The creations she would show us through the years always brought surprise and delight, and her annual show was the most anticipated by collectors as well as plagiarists, although by the time the latter had figured out how to do a diminished facsimile, Wynn would have moved on to the next thing percolating in her mind, not to mention that there was a long waiting line for bespoke pieces and exhibitions abroad that kept her atelier busy. She was so in demand that when she announced her retirement in 2018, many were shocked by her sudden departure.

We caught up with the designer recently to talk about her coming show, why she left, and what she is up to.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: Why did you decide to mount an exhibit?

WYNN WYNN ONG: I usually don’t revisit a chapter that I’ve closed but Jeannie Javelosa, the powerhouse director of the Yuchengco Museum, mentioned that the museum was going to celebrate its 25th anniversary and asked if I could mount an exhibit. The Yuchengco team was wonderful to work with on my first exhibit, and I wanted to celebrate their milestone.

What guided you in the selection of pieces and how they will be presented? 

We selected pieces that best captured a certain technique or stage in evolution, from collectors who were kind enough to part with them for at least six to seven months. We actually have some pieces that are returning home from other shores.

What are the highlights? 

I can’t say there is any one particular piece. Selection is a matter of perspective. Attention to detail and the level of craftsmanship are most important to me. While larger pieces capture the eye, I also want to put a spotlight on the beauty of small, quiet pieces. 

Why did you decide to retire?

I was doing too many things simultaneously. I was at the studio 10 to 12 hours a day, five days a week. I was selected as the Metrowear Icon around the same time I was preparing for a retrospective at the Yuchengco Museum. I was also building at the beach, helping raise funds for worthwhile causes like Hands On Manila, Bantay Kalikasan, and ICanServe Foundation, as well as attending and participating in Asean initiatives like Great Women and AWEN. I was trying to be a wife and a hands-on grandparent to my then three grandsons. Something had to give. A fall that fractured two of my vertebrae was a catalyst. Although I was back on my feet within a week, I had therapy twice a day for some time and chronic back pain. When we were given the chance to expand our property in Batangas, I knew I had to edit and prioritize things in my life. I loved my craft. I still do. But I was an accidental designer who was fortunate to have been able to achieve many wonderful, unintended things. 

What were the memorable moments of your career? 

One would be when one of my designs landed on the cover of WWD during Fashion Week NY after I had just finished a successful show at a gallery there. Also private by-invitation-only events in London and Zūrich where I met collectors who would become long-term friends. Being invited to join the Philippine delegation that presented our works in London with designers like Michael Cinco, Lesley Mobo, and Lulu Tan-Gan. Being selected as one of a handful of designers of unique jewelry to be featured in a coffee table book called Hidden Gems of Asia. It has been a lovely surprise to have seen my work in The Robb Report, and various international magazines. My pieces were featured four consecutive years in an annual jewelry design book published in Spain. 

What were the most challenging? 

Each piece I designed was a challenge; I never repeated a design. As themes changed each year, new techniques and learning a new set of skills were required. Shifting from one genre of design to another was also challenging like when I made a capsule collection of jeweled furniture followed by jeweled lights, we had to expand our knowledge. Each skill set that we added helped us evolve quickly. As stressful as a sharp learning curve can be, ultimately, it was exciting. 

What did you learn? 

We learned many skills and explored many fields: jewelry-making, sculpting, casting, wood-carving, cutting fabric, weaving with silver, and even electrical wiring. But the biggest lesson had nothing to do with external challenges. It was the realization that regardless of what one decides to pursue in life, one needs to accept and understand one’s strengths and weaknesses. I had to be open to learning new things every day, seeking advice instead of pretending to know everything, and most importantly, staying true to my vision. My work also reinforced my belief that patience, consistent craftsmanship, and the chase for reasonable perfection can cement one’s reputation and name. 

What do you think were your contributions to the development of Philippine jewelry, arts, and crafts? 

I hope I was able to make others understand the importance of staying true to their core vision. “Authenticity,” “original,” and “artisanal’ are often overused words these days. Being original or consistent with one’s design goals and to be able to stay the course is a real asset. I hope I was able to inspire others to avoid diluting their brand and to understand that one has to live up to their own creative standards, and not succumb to PR hype. I enjoyed mentoring young students at SoFA and those that came to “meet the designer” days at the museums. I hope that all designers can make time to mentor others. We can learn as much from younger people as they do from our experience. The stage is huge and to share that stage is fulfilling. Longevity of one’s design and fame can come without chasing it to the exclusion of all else.

With the present situation in the country and the world today, what role do jewelry and creation play? 

The zeitgeist seems to indicate that mass production has swung the pendulum of desire towards high forms of craftsmanship. Things that are unique and truly creative will always be sought after by collectors. It seems logical—in terms of hedging in a time of global uncertainty—to collect things that grow in value, whether in the form of precious metals, jewels, or art. If everything online were wiped out in a single electromagnetic storm, you could walk away with something that is portable and that can be bartered. 

Do you miss creating jewelry? Do you think you will make pieces again? 

No. I am still asked often if I miss designing, or if I would reopen my studio. Although I miss the excitement of creation and the camaraderie of working as a team, I am experiencing these very things as I build our family compound on our slice of paradise. My team of builders and I are carving out the hill and building spaces intuitively. I’ve worked with wonderful people to get my vision across. Just like my jewelry, I know how it will all look, way before we even start it. Each step, each room, each space is crystal clear in my mind. I know exactly how I will feel when shadows are cast by the sun through the trees, and how the jasmine vine I plant today will smell when the wind blows one night, a few years from now. The most exciting thing is when I am landscaping and an “obstacle,” like a huge rock, a twisted tree root, an area of weak non-compressed soil, shows up unexpectedly. It has always led me onto an intuitive serendipitous path, a new unexpected design opportunity that opens up. Design can take any form. I think I will be designing for the rest of my life. The intricate design for a ring yesterday is now the interconnecting creation of space. Gems used before to add beauty are now in the form of the thoughtful placement of a chair, a boulder, a plant.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope there will be a greater return towards things made by hand. Although many young people appreciate it, the prices are almost unattainable. Mass production has created an abundant, cheaply-made supply driven by a never-ending demand. I hope more tangible places of beauty and knowledge remain like museums, libraries, and galleries. Virtual things pale by the side of creations that can be seen, touched, savored by the senses. My personal hope? That I can continue to be able to build, to create, to dream of homes on the slope of a beautiful tree-filled hill where my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will continue to make happy memories. 

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“Distilled” by Wynn Wynn Ong runs at the Yuchengco Museum from Nov 6 to March 21, 2026.