In the name of design: 7 world-class designers from the Philippines

“How we communicate plays a big role in our design language.” Nazareno discloses that exchanging ideas with Lichauco is among her favourite parts of their partnership. “I truly enjoy our discussions and the back-and-forth in the beginning stages of a project. The process can be quite random, which makes it fascinating, and we also appreciate each other’s distinct sense of humour.”

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In 2019, Nazareno and Lichauco joined forces in one of their biggest curations yet—the 2019 Philippine participation at Maison et Objet Paris under the Kindred Design Collective for Citem’s Design. The following year, they also installed Itim: Material Manipulation in Black, initially slated for Milan Design Week’s Fuorisalon. As of this writing, Nazareno and Lichauco are looking forward to joining and creating more pieces for international exhibitions. “More international shows are opening up this year, and we would like to participate in as many and show our pieces,” says the duo. Nazareno and Lichauco are also looking forward to their upcoming project.

“The local projects we have firmed up are pretty exciting—from the new collections, collaborations and spaces. It does run the gamut, a collection of new lighting fixtures, a series of large sculptures in its stages, a refresh of a 16-hectare farm and a school in a heritage site.” the creatives reveal.

Perhaps the best word to describe the work of the Milan-based Filipina designer, Mirei Monticelli, is “ethereal”. “I don’t have a fixed creative process, but I continuously try to learn new techniques that I can apply to a specific material,” Monticelli says. The designer, who proudly works with sustainable fabrics such as banana fibre, is passionate about showing off Filipino resources. She masterfully manipulates them to create unique silhouettes that epitomise elegance. “I always like to explore the material and learn how to use its properties to the best of its abilities,” she shares. “Usually, the design problems I encounter are not problems but a lack of knowledge on my part. The best way to approach this is to keep researching or, if it is available, ask the masters of the craft.”

In her early years, Monticelli found these masters in her mother’s atelier. “I spent the summer before I studied in Italy at my mother’s atelier, where I asked her seamstresses to teach me how to use the sewing machine,” she reminisces. “I did it because I was anxious about the future, and I wanted to bring at least one skill that could be useful. When I got to Italy, I bought a portable sewing machine and started practising with some pieces of banana fabric I had brought. I held it against the light and noticed how beautifully it played with the fabric. I always wanted to work with the banana fabric because I know how special it is: both the fabric and the people who make it.”

Though Monticelli’s designs are striking, she admits that aesthetics isn’t her only goal. “Good design is more than [aesthetic]. Something that is designed well has a purpose, is useful and sustainable,” she asserts. For lighting, Monticelli says it’s essential first to understand the purpose. “Aside from providing illumination, light can create a certain ambience or statement,” Monticelli explains.

Mother-daughter duo Aurore Prudent-Roiland and Marjorie De Los Reyes found it easy to name Liwayway. Apart from being the Filipino translation of “Aurore”, it also depicts how the beauty of the Philippines begins in the morning. Its humble beginnings started with the need to raise funds for the Delepine Foundation. As humanitarian workers, they live with the spirit of mutual aid. Both mother and daughter are hitting two birds with one stone with their philanthropy: generating income for the foundation and promoting Philippine culture and tradition.

Among their most notable works is the Sampaguita collection made of fine porcelain, a refined and progressively-developed dinner service boasting highlights of the national flower in its plates and napkin rings. White, neat and sophisticated.

“My table is a place that must remain friendly, a place of sharing...I like tables that are well laid but not too crowded,” Roiland says. From experiencing the seaside through the Salungo collection to being drawn by the natural effect of the Sampaguita tableware, Liwayway offers different themes that cater to the happiness of the archipelago—an intrinsic strength of journeying its users throughout the Philippines.

For both owners, there is joy in serving guests with the right and proper table setting. “There is no bad taste, it is just necessary to impose a certain harmony.” Lovers of the art of the table are generous people. “There are no formal rules from there, only the expression of happiness to prepare the coming of your guests,” Roiland adds.

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A versatile art, pottery is considered one of man’s oldest traditions. This humble technique has existed for thousands of years, with early ceramic objects dawning as far back as the Neolithic period. In the Philippines, pottery comes with a rich heritage. Though modern techniques have come to compete with this slow art, some continue to ensure its preservation. Like husband and wife, Eva and EJ Espiritu, the duo behind the brand Cornerstone Pottery. With their tight-knit team of four, they take great pride in their creations, which they describe as “fusion ware”. In defining good design, the Espiritu couple veers away from the pitfall of equating perfection with goodness. “Good must be functional, not a dust gatherer,” Eva says.

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Their take is that just because a design looks “cool” or “unique” doesn’t make it a good design. “This approach is the same one we take in designing dinnerware, mugs and cups,” shares Eva. The Espiritus’ workflow involves plenty of editing and restructuring. It takes time to incubate an idea. “EJ will sketch and strategise before approaching the wheel. Not always will a perceived design manifest as it should; it often brings us back to the drawing board,” Eva says. But when a design becomes iconic, the feeling of fulfilment is well worth it. “It tells us that we need to produce more new designs, which is a continuous process.”

The Espiritu couple has been celebrating pottery for 27 years. They started the business in 1996, hiring people the community deemed “too old” to work but eager to learn the art and support their families. “We started a business that we have both knowledge and passion for,” explains Eva. “Pottery making is an art and a science. There’s a science in developing the clay body and formulating the glaze for the perfect ‘fit’ with the clay. Yet, even though the science seems exact, what happens in the kiln is not completely in our control. That’s where the magic happens. That’s when it becomes art.”

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