Filipiniana tells their story at Formex

The Formex fair is in its final morning as a happy Gabriel Isip gives a tour of the family business Filipiniana’s inspiring and imaginative stand. The theme this time is The Italian Lemon Garden and the inspiration was brought home by the family from a trip to Sardinia and Sicily.

Under a lemon tree, antique reproductions in the form of urns, busts and statues sit together. Gabriel has grown up with, and into, the family business that his parents and uncle started almost thirty years ago, today his role is to develop new products and he loves his job:

– I am passionate about what I do and am constantly developing. I enjoy mixing contrasts, I like to test boundaries and try to be at the forefront,” says Gabriel, who also has a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Craftsmanship as a hallmark
At the Filipiniana stand, it is clear that Gabriel has succeeded in his aim to create concepts where everything finds its place and is woven together. There’s the pomp and circumstance that arouses emotions, but also a stripped-down elegance with a much cooler expression.

Everything is allowed to exist and is somehow connected, as if bound together by a subtle, invisible thread. We move from the Lemon Garden through the thrilling Farmacia room and another room reminiscent of the old-time boudoir and smoking room, before arriving at the hand-turned light marble objects that are part of the new Seklet brand. Gabriel says it has been well received by their customers and has also brought them new ones. Customers include design, castle and museum shops as well as hotels.

– “Formex is a great platform for us to be able to tell the story of the company, to talk about the products and show them up close,” says Gabriel, tenderly picking up a small figurine of a balletic rabbit lady in a gold-patterned dress with a black lace collar.

– Look here, you can see the brush strokes,” he says with warmth in his voice, explaining that craftsmanship is the Filipino’s hallmark. It should be seen and felt that the vast majority of the range is made by human hands.

Help for self-help
Another thing that characterizes Filipiniana is the close and important cooperation with their suppliers in the Philippines. The agenda since its inception in 1994 has been to support local artisans and help them out of poverty, and it has worked! Gabriel says that several children who grew up in the small business artisan families that Filipiniana works with have now been able to train as doctors and architects.