Philippine designers dubbed ‘Milan of the East’ at Salone
This year, the Philippines successfully returned to FieraMilano, the global benchmark for the home furnishing sector from its last participation in 2006.
,t is right that the Philippines is in Milan for the biggest and most important furniture show in the world, declares udji ayug of the country s inclusion in Salone ,nternationale del Mobile or the Milan Furniture Fair in Milan, ,taly recently. As everyone knows, udji is an international designer of furni ture and interiors, and also creative director of esign Philippines and Manila Fame. udji had the grand task of curating the Philip pine participation and designing the pavilion that stood shoulder to shoulder with the most recogni ed and respected names in the field of furniture. The result was an impressive presentation of the latest Philippine products and provided function for access and a smooth flow of buyers, media and business transactions.
udji believes that presenting in Salone is not simply about showing the products. Paramount is the philosophy of how space and furnishings work for everyday living. ,t s a total approach to life, work, play and how all harmoni e to please people, he expresses.
To be in the Milan Furniture Fair is a long, hard climb to be counted among the best of the best in the most important trade event and design fair for furniture and home fashion in the world. This year, the Philippines successfully returned to FieraMi lano, the global benchmark for the home furnishing sector from its last participation in 2006. The attempt to rejoin in 2013 landed the Philippines in Euroluce, the lighting show that forms part of the comprehensive exhibits at the citywide exhibition. The Philippine participation in the main Salone show is deemed a success as it is.
Eleven of the top Philippine designers and manufacturers participated in the international show of shows for furniture and furnishings. Kenneth Cobonpue, globally acclaimed and fresh from having been selected as Asia s esigner of the ear in the recent first edition of Maison Et Objet Asia in Singapore, led the roster that included ,ndustria, Atelier A, ,to Kish, ightworks, on Ace, Padua, and Pri mic rill. ending aesthetic enhancements to the Philippine booth were Schema by Kalikasan Crafts, Tadeco Homes
and 0ayumi by &S0.
Every pril, the capital of design, art and fashion 0ilan showcases the latest and brightest in home, leisure and institu tional furniture and furnishings in a mam moth exhibition site spanning , sTm. of indoor halls and , sTm. outdoors set in and amid humongous pavilions. Over , trade operators from importers, distributors, architects to interior designers, artists, academicians and others involved in furniture congregated in the six day show and reaffirmed Salone s primary status as the showcase for the latest in Tuality furnishing in every conceivable range and style.
In this overwhelming arena of the brand superstars and design hotshots, the Philip pine presence signals its readiness not only as a global player but as a sourcing desti nation for designer products and services in sia. The country is gaining a name as the “0ilan of the East,” an accolade that the participants and organizers take as a pat on the back but with humility and caution. 5osvi Gaetos, executive director of the &en ter of International Trade and Exhibitions 0anila &ITE0 , the promotions arm of the epartment of Trade, is a staunch enforcer of Tuality and standards and sets an un stinting tone of excellence and professional ism for the Philippine participants and the exhibition. “The recognition and citations that the Philippines is gaining in the inter national market through the participation in )iera0ilano, 0aison Objet Paris and sia and the International &ontemporary )urniture )air in 1ew ork validate our mission to nurture the industry, promote talent and creativity and push the economic goals of the export sector,” Gaetos affirms.
Lively business transactions and inTui ries marked the trade days at the Philippine booth. Ito .ish had another winner for his Juana black and white low back design which caught the eye of a )rench designer who placed an order for a trendy restau rant in ubai. Juana is named after Ito s, grandmother while his first creation, the baluster inspired Gregoria after his mother was his lucky charm and this design has won for him several awards in his first foray into design two years ago including 0anila )ame s .atha wards and the Gwangju iennale Icons of sia. Ito realizes that it is a nod to the Philippine wares that buyers no longer raise eyebrows at the price Tuoted at the exhibit and that the bigger number of transactions has gone beyond inTuiries. new development that & he is excited about is the prospect of designing for a 8S company. arlo &ordaro, an Italian who found his home and work in &ebu, was a whirling dervish as he attended to his pursuits and opportunities, shuttling between the ex hibition and all over 0ilan. He sells as telier , which he plans to grow to telier Philippines as the business has been expanding. The economist turned designer engineers sustainable furniture pieces made from bamboo and coconut endemic to the Philippines. Experience and maturity have made him impervious to trends but the artist in him opens to creativity and innovation, which are seen in his timeless pieces such as the Palm Love Seat, Tropea Side &hair and the Gazelle in rattan. &ordaro is pleased with his achievements at the fair where he relates winning back clients, finding distributors for Singapore, Lebanon and Egypt with ubai proving to be a lucrative market. &ordaro was also tapped to present a modern bamboo installation at the Interni Hybrid rchitecture at the State 8niversity of 0ilan by magazine. telier joined a select international group whose giant modern works were displayed on the school campus.
Jude Tiotuico is &EO, design and marketing head of Industria and is intent to sprint ahead in the succeeding international shows. Industria uses metal sheets, ceramics and tempered colored glass to produce contemporary furniture that surprises in evoking lightness and grace. The products are born out of the design collaboration of Tiotuico and Eric Paras. Industria is identified as an emerging company among the forerunners and can graduate to a higher level of independence in forthcoming exhibits.
5ashmi Tolentino Singh of Lightworks notes that the European market is coming back and hopes to be part of the turnaround. Pleased to meet new buyers, she points to Venezuela as her first order and Poland as coming across. The 8S is still top buyer but 5ashmi observes that in the high end category, the downturn in business is minimal. Lightworks came to be a result of the Tuest for comfortable and artful chairs for their health food restaurant. &ustomers placed orders for the chairs they started to make them selves. Eventually, the company specialized in gilding furniture in gold, silver and copper. “Our products are finished in high gloss like a Lexus car,” 5ashmi proudly states.
Schema s lamps of honeycomb pattern were accent accesso ries in the booth. Jerry Jiao amplifies that it is inspired by nature, made of wire or the common clothesline . It is difficult to make, therefore not easy to copy and is long lasting though fragile in looks. Jiao started with &hristmas decor and the company was known as .alikasan &rafts. His products have evolved and he attributes the innovations to &ITE0, particularly the international exposure and the lifestyle design concept that esign Philippines has directed. Jiao adds that Schema is in a good niche as a lighting specialist. “)urniture is a sizeable investment and people take a while to change furniture, while lighting can often be changed to create new looks and refresh designs,” he explains.
5amir onghanoy relates that on ce is famous for the radica shell inlay for which they secured a patent. The process involves a three dimensional type of shell inlay featur ing grooves and ridges departing from the traditional smooth and flat inlay. He is a major supplier of . Homes of the 1etherlands,