Mother’s Day: Kenneth Cobonpue shares trivia about mom Betty; suggests gifts for moms
MANILA, Philippines — Behind the success of a man is a woman, and in international furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue’s case, it is his mother Betty.
At an interview with the press at the launch of his KCurated home accessories line in Rustan’s Makati yesterday, Kenneth was asked by Philstar.com on the impact his equally globally-acclaimed furniture designer mom Betty had on him especially as a designer.
“Oh a lot! Everything!” he said when asked for lessons he got from his mom.
“If not for my mom, I don’t think I would be here.”
Also a Cebu-based designer like Kenneth, Betty Cobonpue made waves in the 1980s with her own line of furniture called Scultura. She described her design sensibility with a simple mantra, “No hard edges.”
She has become known for using thin pieces of meticulously-cut rattan vine that are heated and wet-bent over wooden forms to create smoothly flowing lines throughout the entire piece. Often, she included decorative embellishments such as scalloped edges and leaf patterns.
“As a child, my mom used to read to me bedtime stories and back then, there was no Netflix or YouTube, so you get to imagine everything,” Kenneth reminisced.
“And I think that process when she read me stories started me to imagine things. It made my imagination very active eventually. So I have her to thank.”
For those who also want to express their gratitude to their moms this Mother’s Day, Kenneth suggested checking out KCurated’s Amelia jewelry or trinket holder – inspired by migratory birds in Orango Island in his hometown Cebu.
Likewise, Kenneth vouched for miniature versions of his famous chairs. For one, there is his iconic Yoda chair that comes in red. Just like the famous “Star Wars” character where it got its name, the Yoda chair “enables you to relax in harmony,” Cobonpue’s company said in its website. It can be recalled that Cobonpue famously collaborated with “Star Wars” in 2019.
For the vivacious mom, Kenneth suggested mini Bloom chairs in five colors, the same ones that were featured in Kenneth’s 2022 collaboration with Korean pop group Blackpink.
For the eco-warrior mom, Kenneth’s recommendation is a set of two Nest baskets, made from excess materials from his furniture making.
Moreover, he also recommended his new favorites from KCurated, new rechargeable Bubble lanterns in red and blue.
Exclusively available in Rustan’s Makati, KCurated does not only bear Kenneth's signature whimsy and touches of Filipino culture and personality, but is also a testament of how Filipino design persists from passed-on traditions — and in the Cobonpues' case — from the love and artistry of Betty to her son Kenneth.
