From family dinners to the silver screen, a humble design finds a new life.
A Tribute to Shared Meals
On the night of the Harvest Moon, NYC-based designer Virginia Sin relaunched her celebrated Porcelain Paper Plate, first introduced in 2007. The reissue was marked with a celebratory family-style dinner at The Snail in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, hosted by Chef Austin Baker. Crafted in full porcelain and offered in two sizes—including a special Oyster variant—the pieces transform the disposable party staple into lasting tableware.
From Memory to Museum
The design draws inspiration from the messy, chaotic joy of family-style meals. Sin calls it “a tribute to the beautiful chaos of my childhood; of family-style potlucks, lovingly cooked Cantonese dishes, and eight cousins fighting for a seat at the lazy susan.” The plates, handcrafted in SIN’s Brooklyn studio, honor memory, family, and the overlooked beauty of everyday objects.
Pop Culture and Recognition
SIN’s Porcelain Paper Plate has been permanently acquired by the New-York Historical Society Museum and appeared in the final dining scene of The Menu (2022). Originally made from eco-friendly “paperclay,” it won the Design Within Reach Sustainability Award in 2008 and continues to be celebrated by fine dining establishments and cultural tastemakers alike. The reissue offers a sturdier, more tactile version while preserving the playful and reflective spirit that has made the design timeless.
