Friday, February 01, 2008 Designers, entrepreneurs bond to promote products
NEW generation artists, designers and entrepreneurs in Cebu have bonded to form a group that will pursue the goal of making Cebu the “design capital” of Asia.
The group, called Intersection, was formed in November last year. It was founded by the University of the Philippines, Cebu Institute of Technology and other design schools with the objective of promoting products to the international market through online marketing and to reach out to the domestic market through exhibits.
Intersection members are involved in different fields of design, such as jewelry, furniture, art, garments and fashion accessories.
Although affiliated with different companies, Intersection members said they saw the need to merge their talents and skills to create designs that are not dictated by popular trends in the market.
Slow growth
“The art and design growth in Cebu is slow. We have to make our move, even without support from the government and big organizations,” said Barba Godinez, Intersection spokesperson.
Intersection provides a venue for new artists and designers who are not afraid to express their products and designs, she said in an interview with reporters last Tuesday at Handuraw Café in Cebu City.
She said that while the group recognizes the need to align products and designs with market demand, majority of designers and artists find this limiting.
In line with the objective to express individual creativity, Intersection will hold its first exhibition tentatively set this March.
Dubbed “My Compartmented Universe,” the exhibit is intended to broaden artistic and design limitations.
It is a breach from commercial principles and popular opinions that have compromised many personal works and design concepts, Godinez said.
Nickolaus Stumpf of the German Development Service (DED) voiced his optimism in Intersection, which he believes has a great potential to hit big in the international market.
He said Cebu-made designs, whether in fashion accessories or furniture, has gained higher recognition, especially in European countries, compared to those from China and Vietnam.
Stumpf helped the group to link with a Spain-based retailer of fashion accessories. He said he hopes the group would find more clients in other European countries.
“The design market in the Philippines, especially in the Visayas and specifically in Cebu, is a market with a high potential for economic growth,” he said.
Past problems
But he noted that the Philippines encountered problems in the past because of labor and production costs, which are high compared to other Asian countries. He also said the focus of exporters on the American market resulted in losses due to the strong peso.
“One big difference of the Philippine market in the international competition is the value of ‘Made in the Philippines’ design and art. This label is a seal for unique design made by Cebuanos,” he said.
Intersection, which is still at its infancy stage, aims to increase its membership and to establish linkages with industry groups like the DED, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, and the Cebu-Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters, among others.
Stumpf, who is also CCCI International Standards Organization consultant, said he is also looking into linking Intersection with an upcoming design show organized by the Business Development and Management Services Division of the CCCI.
“We want to make Intersection a respected organization so that they can achieve their vision to be the voice of designers in Cebu,” he said. (MMM)
