By Mae Gianina Pascual
The country’s premier design and lifestyle fair is back — and this year, it’s greener, bolder, and more inspired than ever. Manila FAME 2025 opened its doors from October 16 to 18, 2025, transforming the World Trade Center in Pasay City into a vibrant showcase of Filipino artistry through the theme “Objects of Nature.”
Now on its 73rd edition, the event brings together local artisans, global buyers, and design enthusiasts to celebrate the best of Philippine craftsmanship. Curated by veteran designers Tony Gonzales and Milo Naval, this year’s exhibits breathe life into materials sourced from the earth — think fossilized flowers, rattan, abaca, and reclaimed wood — all reimagined into elegant furniture, décor, and fashion pieces.
A Celebration of Craft and Culture
“Objects of Nature” isn’t just a theme; it’s a movement toward sustainability and mindful design. The fair’s centerpiece, Design Commune, features stunning installations inspired by natural elements — from fluid, wave-like furniture to lighting pieces that mimic the softness of leaves. Meanwhile, Home at FAME transforms organic forms into functional art, proving that nature and modern living can beautifully coexist.
At the Artisans Village, regional makers from Bohol, Ilocos Sur, Quirino, and Tarlac take the spotlight, showcasing handwoven textiles, bamboo creations, and home pieces rich with cultural stories. For design professionals, the Philippine Components section presents architectural details crafted from upcycled and indigenous materials, merging sustainability with innovation.
Design Meets Lifestyle
Beyond its trade roots, Manila FAME 2025 embraces a lifestyle vision — promoting how design, sustainability, and culture can shape the way we live. Through FAME Talks and CREATELab, visitors get insights from creative entrepreneurs and design mentors, while the KATHA Awards honor the most outstanding and forward-thinking products of the year.
From curated collections to creative collaborations, every corner of the fair tells a story — of craft, connection, and the evolving Filipino identity. As one exhibit tagline puts it: “The best designs are born from nature — and shaped by human hands.”
A Natural Direction for the Future
Manila FAME 2025 reminds us that great design isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about purpose.
By blending creativity, culture, and consciousness, the event redefines what it means to live beautifully and sustainably, proving once more that Filipino craftsmanship is truly one with nature.
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Jasmine Curtis-Smith is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now, as she shares her thoughts on good storytelling in films, as she’s set to star in upcoming movies Open Night, a 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival sapphic film entry; and Manila’s Finest, an upcoming 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) crime drama movie.
Read the Stylish Magazine September-October 2025 cover story here.
Watch out for a new #StylishPodcast episode featuring our cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith, dropping soon on Facebook and YouTube.
Stylish Magazine is “your source of self-love, style & inspiration” first introduced in June 2020. Our television series format, Stylish TV, once ranked one of the Top 50 Most Watched Multicultural Shows in the USA, can be streamed on iWantTFC and be watched on TFC (The Filipino Channel) in more than 50 countries. Watch it online here.
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