The design masters are back at Manila FAME

MANILA, Philippines - Top names in the design industry make a comeback at the April edition of Manila FAME International’s Merchandise Design Consultancy Program (MDCP).

Milo Naval, Wataru Sakuma, and Rachy Cuna share their design expertise with exporters who want to create new product designs for the world market.

Naval is no stranger to the design world. The much sought-after designer, often described as one of the brilliant innovators in the Philippines, is known for using unconventional materials such as corrugated boards for chairs, bottle caps as accents for planters, as well as treated and dried leaves for sofas.

“I am a casual designer. I design based on instinct and don’t believe so much in following basic rules. I design according to what makes me happy,” shares Naval.

A member of Movement 8, a consortium of cutting-edge Filipino designers, he works to promote indigenous materials through his designs.

“This stems from my desire to provide livelihood to those in the provinces,” Naval adds.

For this edition, Manila FAME focuses on Japan as a partner country, showcasing what the Philippines can offer to its second largest trade market.

“Japanese designs are very simple. For the MDCP, I will focus on simple ideas and follow the Japanese way of thinking and designing,” Naval says.

Wataru Sakuma is a young Japanese designer with a strong background in fine arts, having been granted a scholarship in New York in a program affiliated with the Parsons School of Design.

As an artist, Sakuma experimented with recycled materials such as carton boxes turned into pulp, which he transforms into sculpture.

Sakuma has been in the Philippines for six years now, working as a designer for Masa Ecological Development Inc., a company manufacturing lamps, wall art, and tapestry using handmade paper.

Sakuma’s constant research led him to pineapple and banana fibers, which he says are the best materials for his handmade paper.

When asked why he chose paper as his medium, he replied: “Japan has a thousand years of paper-making history. I want to infuse Japanese technology with materials from the Philippines.”

Looking forward to working with other companies and exploring other materials, Sakuma hopes to incorporate traditional Japanese designs with contemporary appeal and combine the Japanese style with the Filipino way of living.

In addition to working on product design with exhibitors who signed up for the program, the consultants also lend their creative hands in putting up the show’s special settings, which, for this edition, are inspired by Japanese teahouses.

Floral architect and lifestyle artist Rachy Cuna also works his magic at the World Trade Center lobby in a special design setting for Manila FAME.

Cuna transforms ordinary objects into something that evokes various emotions from those who have seen his works.

“I have loved flowers since I was young. Flowers are everyday [objects] that add beauty to life,” Cuna says.

His 15 year’s experience as a curator for the Ayala Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Manila has imbibed in him the discipline of exhibit design and allowed him to master the art and craft of designing. He hopes to highlight the versatility of Filipino design in his Japanese-inspired setting.

Manila FAME International, a bi-annual trade platform for home and lifestyle products, is led by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industries.

The show opens on April 22 to 25 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

MDCP was instituted in 1983, allowing local companies — the show’s exhibitors — to collaborate with local and international design luminaries in coming up with new products. The resulting products are displayed in unique special settings considered among the most anticipated highlights of the show.

“The consultancy program helps widen our design perspective with the use of local, indigenous materials,” says Gideon Robles, president of Robles Heritage Inc., a manufacturer of capiz and stained glass home furnishings.

“Through the MDCP, we hope to bring the quality of our designs to a higher level,” says Edwin Rivera, general manager of Obra Cebuana, an exhibitor.

For the past 27 years, Manila FAME International’s MDCP has brought in design luminaries like Philip Cutler, Detlef Klatt, Gerald Tyler, and Naomi Filmer, among others. Filipino designers Budji Layug, Tes Pasola, Al Caronan, Carlo Tanseco, Inno Sotto, PJ Arañador, and a host of other talented local designers have likewise lent their expertise to the program.

For information, call Manila FAME secretariat at 833-1258, 831-1265 or e-mail manilafame@citem.com.ph.