MANILA – The 59th edition of bi-annual design and lifestyle event, Manila FAME opened today in Pasay city, with droves of people attending to view its showcase of the best in local design.
Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), Manila FAME served up its usual offering of furniture, decor, and fashion.
This year, the event’s theme is “Urban Resort,” a concept that can be seen interpreted in the works on display.
“Urban resort is about providing modern interpretation to age-old crafts and bringing it forward and creating a fresh language of design and lifestyle that is both familiar and new,” interior designer and Manila FAME creative director Budji Layug explained.
“It is also about colors, textures, and natural elements that come together in bold, elegant lines, forms, and shapes. It is natural yet modern. It is inside yet outside. It is Philippines yet global,” he added.
Apart from setting the creative direction of the show, Layug also collaborated with architect Royal Pineda and FIlipino-American businessman Vonz Santos to design the Butterfly House, a structure that folds up for easy storage and shipping, and unfolds into a livable home.
One of the highlights of the event, the Butterfly House was invented by Santos as a response to Typhoon Yolanda, which left millions of people homeless. Layug and Pineda, meanwhile, will help in the interior design of a typical model unit.
Manila FAME continues to highlight Filipino craftsmanship as it features Weaves of the Philippines, a series of special installations and live demonstrations of Filipino fabrics and weaving techniques; and the OTOP Marketplace (One Town, One Product), which showcases 25 exhibitors from the regions whose products are created by local communities.
“We intend to make Manila FAME as exciting as ever, with the intention to dish out modern design concepts. We will collaborate with both new and seasoned designers to ensure that we will showcase fresh and modern product design and innovation,” CITEM executive director Rosvi Gaetos said.
The 59th Manila FAME runs until March 17 at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay.
