KENNETH COBONPUE

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER

“I THINK CEBU AND THE SURROUNDING ISLANDS SOMEHOW INSPIRE MUCH OF MY DESIGNS TODAY. As a boy, I was always taken by the exuberant richness of nature that was around me. Years later, I realized that I can access all those memories to move my ideas forward,” Kenneth Cobonpue explains.

One definitely sees the Filipino in Kenneth Cobonpue’s designs. With his genius craftsmanship evident in the use of natural materials such as rattan, buri, bamboo, and abaca, Kenneth designs his furniture with a unique Filipino aesthetic.

His talent has gained international credit with a list of crème de la crème clientele that includes the Queen Rania of Jordan, and Hollywood A-listers Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Several Cobonpue designs deck the interiors of luxury and modern hotels and resorts in Spain, Mexico, Dubai, Maldives, and Greece.

Kenneth’s creations have also been featured in the hit television show CSI: Miami, and Hollywood films Ocean’s 13,

Made of Honor, and Spread, as well as on European television and countless international publications.

Kenneth Cobonpue was the only Filipino among 1,400 design bigwigs to take part in Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the world’s most prestigious furniture exhibit. There he showcased his “Cabaret” outdoor furniture collection and has earned great praise by viewers and customers. This reaction though came as no surprise to anyone. While he’s highly acclaimed globally, his biggest achievement is to reach designer heights with an aesthetic that is uniquely Filipino.—CT