Philippine lifestyle event Manila FAME returns onsite

by Aly Dela Peña

Manila FAME, the second-longest running trade show in Asia for home, furnishings and lifestyle, is returning to the trade show floor for its 71st edition at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City on October 19-21, 2023. The highly anticipated international sourcing event supports and showcases Philippine Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), seasoned and emerging designers, and local artisan communities in the Philippines.

After two years of organizing Market Days, Manila FAME’s digital counterpart, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) is slated to mount a multisensory experience for exhibitors, buyers, and visitors from all over the world.

This year’s Design Commune, a highly-curated scenography of new products under CITEM’s product development program, is set to launch collections from FAME companies created in collaboration with design specialists Rita Nazareno, Gabriel Lichauco, and Tony Gonzales, together with the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP). It is an integral and highly anticipated show feature which fosters innovation among local artisans and manufacturers to scale their product offerings and cater to the demands of the global market.

Pushing the limits

For its returning edition since the pandemic, Manila FAME 2023 will carry the theme “Feel what’s possible.” CITEM Executive Director Edward Fereira underscores the importance of catering to the needs of the people who flock to the agency’s signature show for the home, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. “Manila FAME attracts a diverse set of audiences—new and returning international buyers, established and upcoming design brands, design aficionados and students, industry experts, and even local fans of the show. We want to give them a show that reflects new ideas, fresh takes, and unique executions—in short, possibilities—rooted in Filipino heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation. And since we’re going back onsite, they will surely ‘feel’ all these on the ground, face-to-face after three years.”

The trade show we know plus more

CITEM is also taking this year’s edition of Manila FAME to the next level by integrating a solid “online-offline-online” experience, giving participants a seamless customer journey between the physical show and its digital platform. Through fameplus.com, the digital sourcing platform of FAME, local and international trade buyers can discover upcoming and established brands, read feature stories, and connect with local artisans and manufacturers all year round.

Manila FAME 2023, according to Dr. Fereira, will also have “new exhibitions, show components, and special events that underscore the various parts of the multifaceted and ever-evolving Filipino craftsmanship.”