Sense, Sensibility, And Sustainability

It’s been thirty six years since Manila FAME first opened its doors to the public, and sixty nine editions have since passed. With history spanning decades, it’s nonetheless clear to see on the exhibition hall that the design standard of the Philippines has long moved into the future. Home & Decor takes the tour!

Walking through the halls of the World Trade Centre in Metro Manila is an experience quite unlike any other. Manila FAME bears all the hallmarks of a traditional furnishings and lifestyle expo, yet there is something remarkably different in the air, which is thrumming with life and exuberance; this is further reflected in the furniture pieces that line the exhibition booths across the spaces.

As the second-longest running trade event featuring homeware, furnishings, holiday decor, fashion, and gift items in the Asia-Pacific region, Manila FAME has more than carved a place for itself in the annals of exhibitions this side of the world. To date, it remains the only show in the Philippines recognised by the Union des Foires Internationales, a union of the world’s leading tradeshow organisers.

A jaw dropping sixty-nine editions of Manila FAME have come and gone, and though the exhibition has adapted and changed throughout the years, it is this storied history that carries through the halls of the exhibition. Certainly, it is clear to see that the show has come a long way since its inception. Despite the forward step of designs and the challenge of a competitive global market, the ideals, relationships, and visions of the past have transcended time and settle with ease in the present. To the exhibition’s prolific visitor base, which includes a local, regional, and international mix of businesspeople, designers, homeowners, and even celebrities, the exhibitors remain as eager and hungry to share. The close ties between organisers and exhibitors remain at the forefront (for, indeed, everybody is a friend in sunny Manila). And the endgame remains the same: to show the region, and indeed the world that the Philippines has arrived.