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manila fame 2011: handmade with love

Probably one of the highlights of the recent Manila Fame show is the addition of live vignettes featuring craftsmen (and women) in action—weaving fabrics, carving wood products, and weaving rattan and buri furnishings. Whoever thought of this is a genius! It gives a human face to the featured products. At the same time, seeing how the furnishings and decors are tediously made somehow adds to their value.

On top of the usual furniture and decors, there was also a section for Philippine textiles. Twinkle Ferraren’s collection made from paper fabric (fabric made from plant fiber pulp) caught our attention. They look very similar to linen but they are actually made from pineapple fiber pulp. Twinkle is a young fashion designer who designs paper-art clothing since 2005. See her collection here.

Another interesting collection is the recycled crafts from Bayan ni Juan. I think most of them are made from shredded magazine pages, rolled, and made into small beads and cones.

This just proves how much talent we have in this country. I’m not just talking about the designers behind the furnishings, but also the men and women who make it possible for the drawings to become actual objects. We’re definitely a handmade nation!

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