Cover Cobonpue's Shuttle Wine Holder in Rose Gold, made of cast brass and steel
Cobonpue's Shuttle Wine Holder in Rose Gold, made of cast brass and steel
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Globally renowned Filipino industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue talks about the inspiration behind his whimsical new collection
Industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue’s new home décor collection features childhood nostalgia and playful references. KCurated, an impressive range of colourful homeware items, is available now in Rustan’s Makati. It is an expansion of a close-knit partnership between the designer and the luxury department store that began in 2023.
The collection includes lamps, tableware, and other quirky items, all imbued with Cobonpue’s signature whimsical touch. Think his iconic Bloom chairs, famously featured in Blackpink’s 2021 ‘Season’s Greetings’ fan gift cards and the 2019 mystery film Glass Onion, scaled down into miniature collectables, as well as an adorable herd of wooden carabao-shaped trays grazing on your table.
Related: Kenneth Cobonpue on the importance of contributing to the longevity of craftsmanship
Above Cobonpue's Little People Table Lamp
Above Cobonpue's Bubble Table Lamp
Cobonpue's Little People Table Lamp
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KCurated doesn’t carry furniture pieces (at least fit for the human scale) and instead builds upon the spirit of Cobonpue’s aesthetics with its lineup of embellishments and décor. He said, “I guess it’s my dream of having my designs [manifested] in every form.”
The balance of function, playfulness, and sustainability is embedded into his studio’s identity and has always been part of the essence of his design journey. The KCurated lineup demonstrates just that, particularly when it comes to its recurring tongue-in-cheek references to aspects of Filipino identity. His ‘Diwa’ lamps, for example, feature the Bul-ul, wooden deities believed to guard the rice crops of the Ifugao. Cobonpue credits this inspiration from bedtime stories told by his mother growing up.
Cobonpue’s crocheted ‘Nest bowls’ are made from leftover polyethylene from his workshop, part of an upcycling initiative for sustainability.
More from Tatler: Flair meets function in this exciting homeware collaboration by Casa Juan and Filipino artist Dominic Rubio
Above KCurated by Kenneth Cobonpue is now available at Rustan's Makati (Photo: Julianna Cabili)
KCurated by Kenneth Cobonpue is now available at Rustan's Makati (Photo: Julianna Cabili)
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Above Cobonpue's 'Diwa' lamps featuring Bul-ul figureines
Above Cobonpue's 'Bloom Mini', a small-scale replica of his iconic chair
Cobonpue's 'Diwa' lamps featuring Bul-ul figureines
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“I’ve always leaned towards very whimsy, playful and imaginative designs. It’s kind of allowing me to be a child forever,” Cobonpue comments. “This has always been my vision and is why I picked up design in the first place.”
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Credits
Images: Courtesy of Kenneth Cobonpue
About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
