FAME+ Market Days 2022
releases new home, fashion, & lifestyle collection for int'l market
By
DTI-TPG-CITEM
November 8, 2022
PASAY CITY –
Emerging from the creative minds that continue to push the
boundaries of Filipino artisanship, a new collection of home,
fashion, and lifestyle pieces was unveiled at the digital sourcing
festival FAME+ Market Days last October 21-22, 2022 via the online
platform Hopin.
A total of 50 brands and manufacturers were able to develop more
than 500 original designs for this year.
The new collection is housed under Design Commune, the culmination
of the product development program by the Center for International
Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). Design Commune is a main
show feature at Manila FAME and a key section of its digital
sourcing and storytelling platform www.fameplus.com.
In collaboration with design specialists Rita Nazareno and Gabby
Lichauco, the collection this year revolved around the concept of
‘Stitch’. Sewing traditions and tools of various cultures was the
inspiration in crafting new indoor and outdoor pieces to showcase
the versatility of Philippine artistry through a contrast of design
disciplines.
The design specialists, in a talk on the first day of the event,
expounded the creative process of Design Commune. “Guided by the
sensibility of our personal universes, we are crafting grander
stories together. This is how we are weaving worlds through the art
of Stitch,” Lichauco shared.
Cultivating a worldwide community through the digital sourcing
festival
A total of 484 participants from different parts of the world
attended the second edition of FAME+ Market Days 2022.
Assistant Secretary Glenn G. Peñaranda of the Foreign Trade Service
Corps (FTSC) and OIC of Department of Trade and Industry-Trade
Promotions Group (DTI-TPG) spoke at the opening ceremony. He
highlighted that this edition is “geared to intensify
business-to-business (B2B) efforts and continuously cater to the
needs of buyers in different parts of the world.” He also encouraged
the attendees to support local businesses in their journey to the
global stage.
CITEM’s OIC Deputy Executive Director Ma. Lourdes D. Mediran, in her
welcome message, said that the digital event is a key component in
strengthening the FAME brand in the digital sphere. “The ultimate
goal in staging this year's FAME+ Market Days is to spur an in-depth
engagement with buyers as exhibitors present their design products,”
she added.
CITEM, the event’s organizer, facilitated more than 100
business-to-business meetings among trade buyers and exhibitors that
spanned for five days, from October 17 to 21. The trade buyers came
from various countries such as the United States, Australia, China,
Singapore, and India among others.
The two-day event augments the initiatives of FAME, the country’s
longest running export promotions program for MSMEs and artisan
communities in the home, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. The program
currently promotes 293 exhibitors and showcases 5,059 available
products on its online platform www.fameplus.com. A total of 2,300
unique trade buyers have registered since it went live in 2020. Last
year, the digital platform booked and negotiated USD635,119 export
sales and generated P21.49M domestic sales.
Manila FAME, its signature event component, has been running for 38
years. However, due to the pandemic, it has shifted to digital means
to reach international buyers. It is set to return onsite next year,
October 19-21, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City,
Philippines.
Sourcing made convenient
To innovate the digital sourcing experience this year, FAME+ Market
Days introduced pitching rooms where exhibitors themselves shared
their brand stories, inspirations, and latest product offerings
through recorded videos.
These videos were made available on-demand during the event, giving
the attendees adequate time to find brands that match their sourcing
needs. Aside from the pitching rooms, the exhibitors were also able
to showcase their products through digital storefronts in the expo
section of the event. Trade buyers were then encouraged to set B2B
meetings with the brands and manufacturers of their choice.
A shared vision of quality craftsmanship, design, and innovation
Thought leaders on design and market trends were also invited to
share their knowledge with the participants.
Global trend ambassador Patti Carpenter talked about macro trends
that will impact markets for 2023. She shared that “conscious
consumerism” is on the rise, and that both longevity and
sustainability are given importance by buyers of home, fashion, and
lifestyle products.
Carpenter added that more and more individuals are opting for
carefully cultivated spaces with culture-rich interiors filled with
multi-functional, comfortable, and warm design concepts. “A myriad
of material mixes allow technology to coexist with fashionable
fibers and stylish silhouettes mixed with organic elemental
essentials. These are the components for a hearty and hospitable
habitat that finds us rooted in our retreats.”
Meanwhile, Jacqueline Wong, a global trend consultant of WGSN,
discussed consumer profiles and behaviors and their importance in
the product creation. She said that the pieces people buy impact the
spaces where they live, work, and play in.
Advising manufacturers and designers, Wong said, “Create an
emotional connection between your brand or your product and this
cohort of consumers. Support them in cherishing and curating their
keepsakes and memories with mindful design throughout the home.”