Uzel Alconera, Tony Gonzales, and Jim Torres. Courtesy of Manila FAME 2025
The country’s longest-running design fair celebrates Filipino creativity with immersive exhibits led by Tony Gonzales, Milo Naval, and Patti Carpenter.
Manila FAME, Asia’s second-longest-running trade show, returns this October with a renewed focus on the roots of Filipino design. From October 16 to 18, 2025, the World Trade Center Metro Manila will transform, as the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) hosts the 73rd edition of the country’s premier sourcing event for home, fashion, and lifestyle.
With the theme “Objects of Nature,” this year’s show invites visitors to rediscover the essence of Filipino craftsmanship, where community, culture, and creativity are at the forefront of design. “The word ‘nature’ refers to our physical world, but also to the qualities inherent in people and objects,” says Leah Pulido-Ocampo, CITEM executive director. “In exploring both meanings, we unveil what makes Philippine design distinct on the global stage.”
Manila FAME 2025 gathers some of the country’s most celebrated design figures alongside a new generation of creative talent. Design veterans Tony Gonzales and Milo Naval, both founding members of the collective Movement 8, return to lead the show’s signature exhibits.
At Design Commune, Gonzales helms “Elements of Nature,” mentoring young designers Uzel Alconera, Jaime Brias, and Jim Zarate Torres in collaboration with 20 local manufacturers. Their collections, which are rooted in elements of earth, air, and water, reflect Gonzales’ belief that “the best products are those that speak to people, the way artworks do.”
Meanwhile, Naval’s “Home at FAME” transforms the flora-and-fauna theme into a minimalist spectacle. Working with 10 furniture and lighting manufacturers, he envisions a monochrome space filled with sculptural forms: metal sofas that gleam like crumpled paper, wood tables balanced on metal leaves, and pendant lamps evoking tropical blooms. “I like evolving,” Naval shares. “It’s like planting seeds and seeing them grow.”
At the heart of Artisans Village, New York-based trend forecaster Patti Carpenter leads 41 MSMEs from Bohol, Ilocos Sur, and Quirino in developing new collections inspired by an “interwoven journey.” Working with natural materials like abaca, bamboo, fossilized flowers, and hand-woven textiles, Carpenter guided the artisans toward creating lives in hues of ocean blue, olive, and terracotta, colors that, she says, “speak to place and the handmade.”
For the second year, Philippine Components takes place under Gonzales’ direction, showcasing architectural elements such as woven abaca wall panels and shell-infused surfaces, reimagining local materials as design building blocks for global interiors.
Meanwhile, KATHA Awards 2025, organized by CITEM and the Design Center of the Philippines, will recognize exceptional creativity and innovation across furniture, décor, and fashion categories. This year’s winners will automatically qualify for the Good Design Award Philippines 2026, further strengthening Filipino presence on the world design map.
Visitors can also look forward to FAME Talks, a series of discussions led by design and business experts, and CREATELab, an on-site design clinic offering mentorship on branding and marketing.
With Manila FAME’s return this year, each collection and collaboration celebrates what Philippine craftsmanship has to offer. As Ocampo shares, “Manila FAME has always been about celebrating who we are through what we create.”
Manila FAME 2025 runs from October 16-18, 2025, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, Pasay City. Register and learn more at fameplus.com.
