This new series, COLLECTIBLE In-Depth, unveil the backstage of contemporary creation. Tackling various topics from personal designer processes to the position of collectible design on the global design market; these COLLECTIBLE In-Depth offer different views to suit all tastes. Today we talk with Paloma Gonzales-Espejo from Yume by Paloma.

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COLLECTIBLE: Can you talk about a new piece or collection that you release for Collectible this year?

Paloma Gonzales-Espejo: I love exploring new materials and, as a result of my explorations, at this year’s Collectible I launched new pieces of Yume Collection in cork.  I am also introducing a new design with an organic shape called Doppio, also in cork. 

Cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree, which grows mainly in the Mediterranean region. Cork is stripped from the trunk in a sustainable manner every nine years and does not harm the tree in any way. After harvesting, a new layer of cork starts generating. I find cork fascinating because of its nature, resiliency, lightness, and acoustic and thermic characteristics. I particularly like the fact that it is a silent, warm, and discrete material.

Still, I must say solid wood and stone remain key materials for my pieces that I will keep using and exploring further.

Collectible design brings uniqueness, exclusivity, a search for quality, and an artistic approach using extreme craftsmanship.

C: Why did you focus your practice on this type of design rather than industrial design?

Paloma Gonzales-Espejo: Craftsmanship and quality in materials, and execution have enormous value for me and it is a deliberate choice I have made for my designs. It is my way of sending  a message of respect for the materials I use, for my clients, and for myself. 

Making a few pieces or unique pieces makes sense in some types of designs and not in others. Both collectible and industrial design practices need to exist, bring value and satisfy different client’s needs. Collectible design corresponds to the message I want to convey with ‘Yume’ and ‘Doppio’ at this moment.

C: What do you think collectible design brings compared to other more massively produced pieces?

Paloma Gonzales-Espejo: Collectible design brings uniqueness, exclusivity, a search for quality, and an artistic approach using extreme craftsmanship. 

C: Can you talk about a place you recently visited that inspires you?

Paloma Gonzales-Espejo: Yes, the Chillida Leku or Chillida’s Place is a unique open-air museum where world-known artist Eduardo Chillida’s monumental sculptures melt with nature. I strongly recommend a visit if you pass by San Sebastian. Eduardo Chillida bought this piece of land and its caserio, making his dream come true: letting his sculptures «rest in a place where people could walk around them like in a forest,» following their own path with no pre-conceived paths, following the flair or «aura» of the sculptures. 

About Yume by Paloma

Yume is a furniture collection created by the interior & furniture designer Paloma González-Espejo. The collection features bedside tables, side tables, consoles and coffee tables in solid wood and natural stone.

The Yume Furniture Collection is animated by a common principle: harmony, beauty and strength expressed through the connection of shapes and noble materials: the warmth and softness of the wooden parts combined with the grace and elegance of natural stone. Impeccably handcrafted, each element is articulated through a concealed pivoting axis that allows the tables to be positioned at various angles. These exclusive creations add a dreamlike visual presence through the use of high-end materials such as solid walnut oak and natural stone and the impeccable quality and execution of every detail.  

Paloma Gonzalez Espejo, Portrait. (2022) © Paloma Gonzalez Espejo