Designer in Christmas

The news that Daniel dela Cruz was going to be one of four merchandise consultants for the April edition of Manila F.A.M.E. International, organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (citem), was greeted by blank stares and basically no reaction at all. Under the Merchandise Design Consul-tancy Program created in 1983 to further develop export-quality products for the world market, Daniel was chosen to collaborate with several Philippine companies from the holiday décor sector, and design new pieces for the show. The consultancy program exemplifies a unique collaboration between Filipino manufacturers and renowned foreign and local designers.

That was nine months ago. Today, the clueless looks are gone. People in the decor and export industries not only know who Daniel dela Cruz is, but they also have the highest respect for him and what he does. citem received very favorable feedback from the 14 companies he collaborated with in last April’s show–they even requested that he work with them again for the October edition. It is easy to see why.

Designing is second nature to Daniel. He is one of those gifted artists who just close their eyes and melodies of a moving arpeggio start playing in their heads. In his case, he conjures up images of prancing Santas and soaring angels complete with measurements, textures, colors, and materials.

"When I design something, I always make sure that it will sell. For me, the challenge in designing is combining beauty with function and market appeal. An exquisite product is basically useless if it just stays on the shelf and gathers dust. I’d love to hear the buyers’ compliments on the products, and the cash register ringing afterwards," he says with a hearty laugh.

That explains why a lot of companies constantly hire him. However, this is not to say that they are fond of Daniel only because they make good business, but also because he is an extremely pleasant and easy person to work with.

Despite an impressive list of achievements, Daniel is easy and unassuming, constantly asking people about their ideas and what they think about his ideas. He never imposes, and always welcomes everyone’s creative input. You won’t get tantrums and huge doses of angst from this designer.

Today, it is no longer surprising that someone with a degree in philosophy designs home decor, jewelry or furniture, and does extremely well. In this case, however, no one is more surprised about having ended up in this field than Daniel.

"I never thought I’d be a designer," he admits. "I may have been quite interested in art, and had even taken up sculpture as a hobby in my younger days. But coming from a family of doctors, a career in art was never a consideration."

Daniel took up AB Philosophy at the University of the Philippines "in preparation for a possible future in the field of law," he relates. After much soul-searching though, he shunned the idea of becoming a lawyer.

The legal world’s loss is certainly the design world’s gain. His current preference for colored pens and sketchbooks over prosecution briefs has a lot of companies both local and international thanking their lucky stars for his chosen career path.

At present, Daniel is design consultant to exporters and foreign firms that produce holiday décor, giftware, toys, and collectibles. Although he refuses to disclose who these clients are, a peek at his resumé reveals an impressive line-up of companies–Enesco International, Inc., Walt Disney, and Villeroy & Boch, among many others.

Some of his designs have even won top awards like the Best Gift Range from the Tokyo International Gift Show, the Katha Award from Manila F.A.M.E., and the Best Design Award from UNESCO-AHPADA for his unique interpretation of the Three Kings. He is probably the only Filipino designer who had his own product launch at Disneyworld in Florida.

His creative flair, passion for what he does, and the uncanny ability to know what is going to sell has a number of companies lining up for his services. From 14 exporters last April, Daniel is currently working with 31 companies under Manila F.A.M.E.’s Merchandise Design Consultancy Program. The numbers could have been bigger, but some companies have limited resources, so Daniel introduced the Consultancy Adoption Program, wherein he renders his services for free. He offered this to participants of the show based in the provinces because "these are small manufacturers who could really make it big in the global arena with some assistance from people who could provide them with information on current trends and global and buyer preferences. It’s just a way of sharing what I know," Daniel says.

Getting new ideas can be quite exhausting. For example, how many ways can one reinvent Santa or make an angel fly?

That is not for Daniel. For him, inspiration comes easily. All he has to do is look at the lovely faces of his family.

"Times are hard and people are starting to look inwards to see what is truly important, and they are the people you cherish, like family. I have a wonderful wife, Monica, and three adorable children, Eduardo, Dana, and Diego. I draw all my inspiration from them," Daniel says with a gleam in his eye.

"Besides, children never see things the way we do. For them, bears can have wings and Santa can ride a kalesa instead of a sleigh. All I have to do is spend time with them, and I have my new collection. It’s basically Christmas all year round at home."

His is a family the Grinch would definitely love to hate. But Christmas season or not, no one can take away the holiday spirit in his family, "because there’s always something to smile about, and just being alive is one of them," Daniel says with a big grin. That means new design ideas and more charming products to decorate the house with. And when that fails, Daniel can always close his eyes and conjure up images of Santa doing the ocho-ocho.

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The Manila F.A.M.E. International will be held on October 21 to 24 at four venues: World Trade Center, Philippine Trade Training Center, East Pavilion, and the PICC Forum, where Daniel’s designs will be showcased. The show is open to the public on 24 October only with P150 entrance fee. Children below 12 are not allowed. For more information, log on to www.manilafame.com or call 833-1258.