PHILIPPINE-MADE home furniture and crafts join other world-class pieces available in global digital platform Maison&Objet and More (MOM) that were selected as favorites by international decor and design professionals.
The Cheque bench, a creation of FAME+ exhibitor Zarate, were among the creative items handpicked by Andrea Marcante and Adelaïde Testa, founders of top Italian design studio Marcante-Testa that was cited by T: The New York Times Style Magazine as one of Italy’s most innovative architecture firms. Designer Jim Zarate-Torres and partner-artisans transformed this metal seat into light, and delicate piece with its orange and mint powder-coated steel.
On the other hand, the 3- and 5-legged tables by Zacarias1925, in collaboration with designer Migs Rosales, made it to the list of award-winning principal and creative director Patti Carpenter of carpenter+ Company/Trendscope, for their fanciful take on surfaces featuring multicolor weaves handwoven by master artisans.
Meanwhile, the paper clay vase by Indigenous was one of the three design and decorative-products chosen from the MOM site by Nina Tulstrup and Jack Mama, founders of Studiomama based in East London. Solid and lightweight, it’s made out of abaca and cogon grass with natural starch.
Selected under “The collector’s mindset,” the Sol Side Table by Stonesets International highlights sleek and unembellished pieces, each with a contrasting color to slice through the austere form.
Included in “Creating stories” segment, Hacienda Crafts’ Layag Hanging Lamp conveys the story of the fishing villages of Manapla, where local folks learn how to weave fishnets at a young age and, in turn, pass the knowledge down to their children. The concentric rattan rings bound by cotton cord are woven into a hanging lamp and called layag, which is the Tagalog word for sail.
According to Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem) Executive Director Pauline S. Juan, the Philippine participation in trade shows under the “new normal” is a continuous initiative to build the agency’s and its stakeholders’ digital capacities.
“We’re very excited to be facilitating trade and export, primarily done in the digital sphere by providing our partners with the necessary content,” she said.
Joining the first-ever edition of MOM last year, the Philippines caught the attention of trend forecasting authority WGSN, as well as untapped audience segments in physical trade shows in the country, such as buyers and media from Brazil.
Juan added that through content production, where preparations were made while the country was in various iterations of community lockdowns, Citem and FAME+ exhibitors were able to produce quality digital storefronts. This led to exhibitors realizing the importance of content.
“Especially on digital and it’s the flick of a finger and you have half a second to capture potentially thousands of eyeballs, arresting photos are a must,” she said.
Led by the Citem, the nation’s participation in MOM is part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s fulfillment of its export promotion mandate, supporting and empowering local designers, brands, and micro, small and medium enterprises as they step on to the global stage.
FAME+ is the digital trade and community platform launched by Citem for the country’s home, fashion, and lifestyle sector.