As a child in Cebu, Philippines, designer Kenneth Cobonpue created his own toys in his mother’s furniture workshop. Now as a designer, Cobonpue combines the natural resources and craftsmanship of his home country to create beautiful furnishings. Take a peek at his newest collection, set to debut at this month’s High Point.
What to Expect
“This marks the first year we have taken part in High Point, so I wanted to showcase a mix of designs that would not only complement each other, but playfully explore the inspiration derived from different forms, colors and textures of nature (Kala vases above). I selected some personal favorites, some iconic and some brand-new launches from both our outdoor and indoor collections.”
Defining Filipino Design
“Filipino design is best distinguished by exceptional handcrafted workmanship and by the warmth of the materials found throughout our region. We combine various materials and fibers such as bamboo, wood and rattan (as seen above) with composites to create a new hybrid, the material of the future. We work within each material’s strength and peculiarities, making the best use of its natural beauty and inherent properties to achieve the best possible result.”
No Favorites
“I am proud of all my works, and it is impossible to pinpoint a favorite. Though there are elements to each that I particularly love, like the manipulation of fabric on the Bloom chair and the regal quality of Peacock (above), which is my modern interpretation of a beloved classic.”
Old Materials, New Designs
“The handmade process we employ imbues each design with a unique quality. The materials we use are abundant and hardly new, but it’s the way we work with them that makes our pieces distinct. A few examples would be the fabric upholstery of the Cabaret being formed into thin-knotted tubes, the thick rattan strips used in the Matilda Collection (or in the Lasso Collection shown above), and Dragnet’s innovative technique of wrapping fabric around wires.”
