Locals told to develop contemporary designs

To capture the huge European market, Filipino designers need to develop excellent contemporary designs that go beyond the traditional furniture designing.

This is a suggestion from a European industrial and furniture designer Jan Armgardt to the Cebu furniture makers in order to effectively attract furniture buyers in Europe.

Armgardt, together with design consultant Auwi Stubble are in Cebu to conduct a four-day workshop to furniture and home furnishing designers here, to help sustain the designing niche of Cebu, especially in furniture making.

In a press conference held Sunday, Armgardt said European market is demanding for excellent and extreme quality of furniture products, regardless of cost.

"They (European market) have everything. It is very important to know what their preferences are, in buying pieces of furniture," Armgardt said.

Europe is the third largest furniture market for Cebu. With the softening of US economy, and intense competition with China and Vietnam, the Philippine furniture exports led by Cebu, is now developing other markets like Europe, going after the super high-end furniture consumers.

According to Armgardt, designers should be able to develop products that have the atmosphere of high-end designs. Excellent quality of furniture is also one of the very important requirements for the European clientele.

Armgardt, who is a renowned designer in Germany, mentioned the designs of Kenneth Cobonpue which are able to appeal the discriminating worldwide market, Hollywood for one, because his designs reflect Filipino culture, and he is able to communicate through his designs.

"Designs should be communicated in the right way," Armgardt said.

Cebu's sustaining strength to compete with competitors like China and Vietnam in its designing capability that is able to appeal to the high-end furniture consumers.

Armgardt said that in order to attract the European market, designs should be well developed.

In Germany for instance, Armgardt said design in every product is much important than anything else. Design should communicate and demand an appealing atmosphere to the discriminating European market.

The Materials Manipulation Workshop is part of a series of activities organized by the CFIF in its bid to further develop the huge European market for furniture.

Although the United States, is still the largest market for Cebu-made furniture, CFIF president Michael Basubas said the industry has to look of other potential market like Europe, as Vietnam and China are slowly eating the share of the Philippine-made furniture in the US market.

This activity is done in cooperation with the Foundation for Economic Development and Vocational Training and the Association of Industrial Designers of Germany with funding support from Asia Invest. Asia-Invest is a European Community initiative that aims to promote and support business cooperation between the EU and Asia.

Aside from holding formal workshops at the University of Carlos -Talamban Campus, Armgardt and Stubble will also be hopping from one furniture company to the other, in order to coach, correct and guide the designers.