Feature: Meeting of Masters
Kenneth Cobonpue’s works of distinction marry the latest innovations in furniture manufacturing, the prepossessing allure of nature, and the time-honored traditions of handcrafting. He is a perfect partner for Rémy Martin XO
GUIDED BY a keen eye for detail, a rich imagination, and an affinity for beauty, award-winning Filipino furniture designer and manufacturer, Kenneth Cobonpue, has invariably changed and influenced the continuing evolution of the art and discipline of design. What sets his work apart is the artist’s passion for the natural and organic and his interest in using these in resonance with technology.
The famous “Yoda” chair, for instance, is born out of something seemingly as innocuous as grass. “That’s inspired by tall grass. Sitting on it gives one the sensation of relaxing on a field and being lost in the wide, open field. I wanted to make use of the natural properties of rattan because it bends at the back. So when you sit on it, it leans and supports you,” he elucidates.
Nature, conspicuous in many of his designs, is a strong source of inspiration for Cobonpue. Bloom, the line of chairs fashioned from a layer of soft microfiber petals, is inspired by flowers and is the designer’s imaginative endeavor to bring the garden indoors. The imposing Peacock, with its swirling curves on the oversized backrest is his modern interpretation of the traditional Filipino chair made more slender and graceful. Like a canopy of leaves, Zaza is another of Cobonpue’s innovations that reflect his philosophy of bringing nature inside.
But apart from nature, architecture likewise provides Cobonpue with a wealth of ideas. The geometric configuration of the Star Wars collection melds craftsmanship with technology to interpret the futuristic look and high-tech identity of this highly successful movie franchise.
Tilt, arresting for its repetitive linear simplicity, is nonetheless demanding to make, admits Cobonpue. “It’s architecture in miniature because the structural frames follow the same concept of the frames that are used in building a house,” he points out. Made of walnut, Tilt employs a more complicated manufacturing technique and, among Cobonpue’s factory of 300 craftsmen, only two have the skill to make the chair. And the elegant Suzy Wong takes inspiration from the traditional Chinese screens. It offers a hint of seduction and romance because of the screen that wraps the person sitting on it.
While his creations express the almost magical and ethereal aspects of life and imagination, Cobonpue says that it takes no mean dedication to create the sense of luxury and distinction that his designs embody.
Says the designer, “Excellence for me is always the pursuit of perfection in trying to be true to your concept. My works are my way of paying homage to hand craftsmanship. Everything is an homage to Filipino craftsmanship.”
His search for perfection is exemplified in every aspect of his life, even in his preference for Rémy Martin XO. “Remy Martin is well known for its fine line of cognacs. In the same way, my designs are also known in a particular niche market for collectors, for people who have taste. In that we share the same standards of excellence,” states Cobonpue.
The House of Rémy Martin is a story of family, partners, and collective success: André Hériard Dubreuil and André Renaud, Baptiste Loiseau and Pierrette Trichet, to name just a few. Over the years, teamwork has been at the heart of the The House of Rémy Martin. It is a value close to the ethos of the brand, especially the younger generations: a need to be a part of a group and a desire to collaborate or co-create. Since 1724, the celebrated cognac house has been rooted in exception, producing cognac from both the Grande and Petite Champagne regions of France.
In 1981, when one of Europe’s most renowned cellar masters, André Giraud, created Rémy Martin XO, he put the exceptional heritage that has made the House of Rémy Martin a celebrated and revered name into a single distillation. By synthesizing the flavor of Rémy Martin
XO, he brought to the fore the exquisite blend at the heart of Rémy Martin.
Indeed, every bottle of Rémy Martin XO brings with it not just a single sensation, but various levels of fascinating pleasures. It is crafted from perfectly ripened grapes grown and harvested in the most sought-after vineyards of France: the idyllic Grand and Petite Champagne. The layers of flavor hint at the marriage of exotic spices, rich dark chocolate dessert, butterfly fig tart laced with honey, and delectable candied fruits to make the Rémy Martin XO a completely bewitching drink. The eye in the heart of the carafe bears the Rémy Martin symbol and the classic centaur icon, which symbolizes the Rémy Martin’s own identity as “a brand with its feet firmly on the ground and its head in the sky.”