Kenneth Cobonpue to unveil new pieces at Manila FAME homecoming
By Aly Dela Peña
Designer and innovator Kenneth Cobonpue, globally known for his contemporary designs using natural materials, is making a comeback to the international home, fashion, and lifestyle trade show Manila FAME organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).
During an exclusive interview with the Manila FAME Team, the creative shared his preparation for his homecoming at the sourcing show, which he called a “testing ground for Filipino creativity and artistry.”
He said that buyers to the show will have a first peek at the items he intends to launch in Manila FAME.
“In every show, we always try to mix classics and new pieces. Usually, it starts in Milan or in Paris. But this time, there are some things that will debut in Manila FAME,” Cobonpue shared.
The designer credits his international recognition to his beginnings at “Movement 8”—a group of distinguished Filipino designers formed by CITEM in 1999 and who had been a part of Manila FAME and many high design trade shows overseas.
Together with Ann Pamintuan, Carlo Cardoro, Tony Gonzales, Tes Pasola, and Milo Naval, the ensemble led by Antonio "Budji" Layug and then Executive Director Araceli Pinto-Mansor established the Philippines as a source destination for tasteful and sophisticated products worthy of international acclaim.
Related: Kenneth Cobonpue on What Matters Most in Design
Cobonpue looked back on his relationship with CITEM, “Without Movement 8, I wouldn't be where I am today. (Manila) FAME has always been very exciting, it's a chance for people to see what's out there.”
As one of the pioneers in elevating Filipino crafts to the international scene–and having been dubbed as “Rattan’s first virtuoso” by no less than TIME Magazine–Kenneth Cobonpue recollects his beginnings and influences.
The designer recalls that his mother, Betty Cobonpue, the founder of manufacturing company Interior Crafts of the Islands (ICTI) based in Cebu, “created her own furniture but she was never credited for it.” He lamented that Filipinos were making things for other labels, yet were not credited for their original designs.
Notwithstanding the pressure to sell his pieces to be white-labeled, Cobonpue said that his determination to take ownership of his designs has driven him to champion the Filipino brand.
“When I started to create my first collections, I made sure they would be branded properly and they would be proudly labeled Made in the Philippines,” he shared.
Read next: Visual storytelling exhibitions to anticipate at Manila FAME 2024
Watch the full interview:
See Kenneth Cobonpue’s newest designs including thousands of new products from more than 350 local manufacturers and brands at Manila FAME. The show is set at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City on October 17-19, 2024. Register at https://fameplus.com/manila_fame/participation.
