Furniture and fashion merge at Moroso
MANILA, Philippines - The beautiful world of fashion and furniture merged at the luxury Italian furniture Moroso showroom, which displayed its distinctive pieces and presented a preview of designer Rajo Laurel’s fall collection, “Sci-Fi Africa.”
Joseph and Stephanie Coyiuto-Tay, the couple who brought Moroso to the Philippines, opened the event. “We are truly happy and excited to be partnering with Rajo for this particular collection, which we feel complements Moroso’s pieces,” Stephanie says.
Moroso is one of the great brands of premium Italian furniture, founded in 1952 by Agostino and Diana Moroso. It has a wide roster of pieces and designers who regularly come up with internationally acclaimed products. Moroso has a good mix of traditional and modern pieces, and the label has introduced various designers who boldly play with color and form. Moroso’s signature color pieces create small examples of art that one can actually live with and bring life to one’s home.
Today, Moroso furnishes beautiful homes in cosmopolitan Asian cities such as Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Beijing. In Manila, Moroso has been received just as warmly, to the delight of Joseph and Stephanie.
“People tend to invest in furniture pieces that become the centerpiece of their home and can be appreciated by guests, so they usually prioritize pieces for their living room and dining room,” says Stephanie of what local buyers are looking for. There has also been a growing awareness and appreciation of high-quality fine furniture.
Stephanie Coyiuto-Tay and husband Joseph Tay, Jr. on Moroso Shadowy chairs, African-inspired pieces designed by Tord Boontje, available at the Moroso showroom in Ortigas CenterA visit to the Salone Internationale del Mobile, the biggest international furniture trade fair in Milan, Italy, proved a pivotal point for the couple whose careers revolved purely around business. Sold on the idea of bringing Moroso to these shores, they consulted at first with leading architects and interior designers about the potential of such furniture in Manila.
Among the finest samples of Italian designer furniture on display were Ron Arad’s sculpturally inspired sofas Victoria and Albert and Do-lo-rez; Tord Boontje’s Shadowy, a play on 1920s beach furniture forms and woven African patterns; and from world-renowned designer Patricia Urquiola, comfortably elegant Field sofas with down-filled cushions, and the exquisite Italian leather chaise lounge Antibodi.
All throughout the evening, “curators” were present to entertain guests and answer their queries about Moroso’s beautiful pieces. Guests with fully furnished homes were still delighted at the unique accent pieces Moroso had to offer.
The highlight of the event was a fashion show featuring Rajo’s new collection, the philosophy of which can be surmised in one word — paradox. “I wanted to create a collection that would combine opposite forces, yet result in something that is both cohesive and sublime,” says Rajo.
The show was followed by the presentation of Rajo’s muses for the collection: Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Mandy dela Rama-Santos, Clavel Bendana, Elisa Lim, Divine Lee, Mia Borromeo, Salome Uy and Linabelle Villarica.
Seen at the Moroso-Rajo event were Italian Ambassador Luca Fornari with wife Silvana Fornari, Peter ad Elena Coyiuto, Clinton and Jacqueline Campos-Hess, David Lim, Felix and Grace Ang, Lily and Roselle Monteverde, Marion Coscolluela, Nenet Schmid, Ingrid Chua-Go, Liz Almoro, Victor Basa and Mia Florencio.
Joseph Tay says, “We have a lot more in store for our buyers and patrons in the next few months. We are soon bringing in more classical pieces to offer more choices for those whose tastes tend towards the more conservative. But even the most conservative piece of Moroso will have a flair and personality to it.”
The Moroso showroom is located at the ground floor of AIC Burgundy-Empire Tower, ADB Avenue corner Garnet Road, Ortigas Center. Call 470-6250, 470-1089.
