Heritage Reimagined: Manila FAME’s Modern Take on Timeless Classics

Established throughout the years as the Philippines’ premier design and lifestyle event, Manila FAME, through its product development initiative will once again showcase new and innovative products from a collaboration between Filipino manufacturers and renowned Filipino designers. The Design Commune, the trade show’s central special setting, will highlight more than a hundred new design-forward pieces from the furniture, fashion, home décor and lifestyle sectors.

With several new trends looking towards the future of design and fashion, the Design Commune’s current theme takes exception by looking back at the time-honored traditions of Philippine design and material culture while creating new products suitable to the modern lifestyle.

“Heritage Reimagined” looks back at the archives of the exhibitors, a goldmine of talents and ideas under the tutelage of Manila FAME to incorporate timeless trends into modern interpretations for the next generation. Under the fresh and upbeat creative direction of Vince Uy, a team of designers from the home, lighting, furniture and fashion sectors will tackle the challenge head on to develop a bevy of designs and product concepts that take heavy influence from the treasure trove of cultural iconography and product designs that Manila FAME and its exhibitors have amassed and have been immersed in throughout the decades.

Here are some of the pieces redesigned to capture the attention of modern buyers:

The weaving pattern used in the vintage wooden chairs popularized in the 1980’s was given a new fashion twist in this Solihiya bag by Island Girl PH.

The traditional banig is imagined to be more than just a sleeping mat—these colorful wedges by LARA are bound to become a sleeper hit in the fashion scene.

Formerly used for costumes and traditional clothing, these iconic Filipino textiles are now given new life in ready-to-wear designer clothes by Wear Your Culture.

The staple and sophisticated round hand purse has a new groove—Beatriz Accessories specializes in adding quirk and color to everyday fashion pieces.

These are just some of the pieces produced from the collaboration of exporters and design luminaries through the Design Commune. Visit the show on October 17-19, 2019 at the World Trade Training Center Metro Manila for more exciting products.

For this year, Asia’s best design destination will likewise feature a roster of other exciting offerings. The show will have a Green Conference that focuses on sustainable solutions, an Artisans Village that highlights regional specialty products and a Fashion E-Tailer segment which features online retailers of rising fashion brands.

Manila FAME is organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its export promotion arm, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). It is made possible through a funding support from the congressional initiative of Former Senator Loren Legarda who now serves as the Congresswoman of the lone district of Antique.

As a melting pot of Filipino creativity, Manila FAME is the Philippines’ premier sourcing destination for high-quality artisanal products. It serves as a cultivating ground and springboard for innovative, top-of-the-line Philippine products and designers to break through key international markets. Visit www.manilafame.com for more information.