Filipino designs and local talents will once again take centerstage in the upcoming Philippine International Furniture Show, an annual furniture and furnishings exhibition, from March 11 to 13 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.
A talented roster of designers and manufacturers will present well-curated collections for the home that marry inspiration, form and function.
“PIFS may not be the largest furniture exhibition on the circuit, but it certainly is the most exciting, offering a variety of products,” shares Eduardo Zuluaga, overall event chairman of PIFS.
“This is not a show where you will find rows of the same thing produced by different companies. Our exhibitors, naturally, have their own style. This is a show where individuality and creativity reigns,” he adds.
In addition to highlighting local talents through the exhibition, the PIFS also serves a more noteworthy purpose. The country’s most important furniture manufacturing associations – the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc., the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines, and the Pampanga Furniture Industries Foundation – have organized an ongoing educational program for their members.
The educational program brings international experts, who will share their knowledge of the current global industry, to the Philippines. It is developed by industry members in support of their partners to further existing projects, nourish creativity and entrepreneurship, and most importantly encourage the sustainability of design in the country.
This program will see world-renowned speakers and global experts share their insights and business experiences. This year, Daniel Levine of Avant Guide Institute, a leading trend specialist based in New York, will address the industry on the subject of global preferences. Through his participative presentations, the members will be able to identify how their products could be further developed to meet upcoming market requirements.
In the past, the speakers included leading product designers and innovators Karim Rashid and Paola Navonne, interior designers Nathan Turner and Mary McDonald (of Million Dollar Decorator fame), as well as marketing and trend professional Michelle Lamb (founder and director of TrendCurve).
“We are very excited for this year’s event. We see PIFS as the Filipino Collection. It is where we show the world, and our colleagues at home, how we interpret the latest industry trends, and in many cases, take the lead in design innovation,” adds Zuluaga.
For the first time this year, PIFS will also be held alongside Interior & Design Manila (IDM) 2016.
IDM 2016 will bring together the top brands in fixtures, fittings and furnishings at Interior Design Plus. The event will also showcase the newest concepts and ideas by 10 select professional interior designers in the Interior Design Excellence Award Pavilion. And finally, it will host a two-day Continuing Professional Development Conference for Philippine Institute of Interior Design members.
For more information on PIFS and the upcoming three-day exhibition, visit www.pifs.ph or email info@pifs.ph.