I recall the first time I met Kenneth Cobonpue many years ago. Even then, he was clearly an artist, using furniture as his canvas. Today he is a world-class designer, creating and synchronizing the best that our country has to offer, and showcasing it to the world.
The Cebu-based Kenneth remains firmly rooted in the premier city in the south. At his headquarters there, he oversees the work of 450 craftsmen. The Cobonpue atelier has, over the past decade, created his brand of handmade and organic, luxury furniture. He has been represented at top designer showrooms around the world.
It’s the right time for Kenneth to make his art available to Filipinos as well. Kenneth Cobonpue’s new two-level showroom opens tomorrow, sitting on 423 square meters of space on the ground floor of the Greenbelt Residences on Arnaiz Avenue in Makati (See www.kennethcobonpue.com for information).
The showroom is a collaboration among Kenneth’s friends: designer Budji Layug and architect Royal Pineda, with styling by J. Anton Mendoza. Kenneth modestly says that it is just now that his “collections were finally numerous and varied enough to continually fill and support a stand-alone showroom.” The reality is that the 44-year-old phenom could probably have opened up a decade ago. In that time frame, he has received a multitude of design awards from Europe, Asia and America.
Kenneth also noted: “It was a natural decision for me to open in Manila because it felt like coming home after a decade of going around the world. I wanted to launch in my own country because this is where I draw inspiration from, and it is here where every day, I witness hundreds of craftsmen turn my ideas into reality.”
The Greenbelt Residences showroom will feature over 50 of Cobonpue’s realized ideas: outdoor and indoor furniture that he designed over the last 15 years. Highlights include collector favorites like the Yoda, Chiquita and La Luna chairs, most of which took over a year to conceptualize and produce. As Kenneth puts it, “That’s how long it takes to build quality.”
Also on display are award-winning pieces from design shows all over the world, such as the Bloom Easy Armchair, which won the Coup De Coeur Award, and the Cabaret Sofa, which received the Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Award. One of my favorites is the Eclipse, a luxury trishaw, which was a presidential gift for the Sultan of Brunei, and serves as focal point within the showroom’s interiors.
The showroom also displays creative lighting accessories from Kenneth’s sister brand Hive, featuring pieces by a roster of established international designers.
A casual stroll through the showroom makes me realize that Kenneth’s designs are all handmade by artisans, many of whom have skills passed on through generations. It’s all a random walk through a rich Cebuano heritage and Filipino tradition of craft.
It’s all best encapsulated by Kenneth’s design philosophy, “I believe that each culture has something unique to offer to the world. The solutions of the future can be found in nature or within us. My designs are a testament to the beauty of craft and the triumph of the human spirit.”
My guess is that the Kenneth Cobonpue showroom will be a great success, and I predict that many more homes in the country will soon show off Kenneth’s personal pieces, thanks to his having them made much more available. /Inquirer