Scheme 1.

(A) Initial system before emulsification (blue color: aqueous phase; purple spots: colloids). (B) After emulsification, formation of bipolar nematic droplets with either 1 (dipolar symmetry) or 2 colloids (quadrupolar symmetry) located at the poles. (C) After polymerization of the monomer within the droplets, formation of spherical particles with dipolar or quadrupolar symmetry. (D) Upon extraction of the mesogen from the polymerized droplets, formation of anisotropic particles with dipolar or quadrupolar symmetry. The horizontal dashed line indicates a mirror plane in the quadrupolar composite particles.