Kenneth Cobonpue Returns to Spring High Point Market

Furniture World News Desk on 3/11/2020

Pictured L to R: Bloom Chair, Chiquita Stool, Lolah armchair, and the Harry Rocking Stool.

Filipino furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue announced that he will once again be exhibiting at High Point Market this year.

Known for his signature facility with organic shapes and materials, Cobonpue––a Maison & Objet Designer of the Year––will return to North Carolina this June with a showing of newly released product displayed alongside select Cobonpue classics.

“For our fourth year at High Point, I wanted to showcase a mix of designs that would complement each other,” says Cobonpue, “invoking shared inspiration in the diverse forms, colors, and textures of nature. I picked personal favorites from among our icons as well as our latest releases, including both indoor and out.”

With numerous accolades to his name, Cobonpue has positioned himself as a living symbol of the consummate artistry and hand-craftsmanship for which the Philippine archipelago has long enjoyed global renown.

Since bursting onto the international stage in 1996, Cobonpue and his namesake brand—distinguished by bold color choices; uninhibited, free-flowing lines; and environmentally sensitive production—have garnered a devout global following. Included among his far-flung customer base are some of the biggest names in high-end hospitality, as well as myriad A-list end-users spanning the gamut from Hollywood actors to musicians and international royalty.

Following is a complete list of Cobonpue items that will show at Spring Market, with links to corresponding high-resolution images. Alternatively, the full set of high res imagery can also be downloaded here, in its entirety, along with a selection of designer headshots.  

INDOOR PRODUCT

Bloom armchair

Inspired by the delicate intricacy of a single, perfect blossom, Cobonpue’s Bloom armchair flaunts an ample expanse of sumptuous ultra-suede, coaxed into the chair’s namesake form through precisely placed stitching that radiates outward from its center. A perfect marriage of form and function, Bloom envelopes the body while framing it in a veritable living sculpture.
Chiquita stool
high res here  

Seemingly static at first blush, the deceptively simple form of Cobonpue’s Chiquita stool belies a playful kinetic twist: Under the weight of its sitter, the cluster of vertical rattan poles that form the Chiquita’s seat sink into a strategically placed base layer of foam. The result is an unexpected, if slight, descent into surprising comfort.

Voyage bed

Channeling the traditional reed and papyrus boats of Cobonpue’s youth, the curvilinear form of this maritime-inspired masterpiece demonstrates the supreme flexibility of woven abaca, indigenous to the designer’s native Philippines. A timeless heirloom-in-the-making, the Voyage is also available as both a sculptural crib and pet bed.  


Dragon’s Tail table lamp

Designed by Luisa Robinson and inspired by its fire-breathing namesake, the Dragon’s Tail table lamp channels the mystique of said mythical beast into a singular luminary creation. Applying the traditional Japanese art of Origami, carefully hand-folded paper elements join to form the lamp’s tail-like silhouette.

Harry rocking stool

Created for indoors, Kenneth Cobonpue’s Harry rocking stool marries outright whimsy with a maximalist flair that also feels distinctly high style. Topped with microfiber strips—which create its signature, furry effect—Harry’s interchangeable covers are available in a wide array of light-hearted hues. An easy complement to contemporary settings, Harry’s appeal is to both kids and kids at heart.


Poppy hanging lamp

Designed by Christy Manguerra for Kenneth Cobonpue, the globular Poppy hanging lamp features a shade comprised of tightly clustered paper spheres, hand-folded to mimic the distinct blossom of the lamp’s namesake flower. Joined by a copper wire frame, these folded paper blossoms are laminated in Tyvek, yielding a warm, muted glow.

Cloud hanging lamp

Designed by Hae Young Yoon for Kenneth Cobonpue and ideal for clustering, the Cloud’s airy cotton shade takes its shape from a seemingly weightless wire armature, which can be readily reshaped by hand.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR PRODUCT

Lolah armchair, capsule, coffee table, end table & stool

Utilizing an array of techniques borrowed from boat building, the Lolah collection effortlessly integrates traditional artisanship with contemporary form. For indoors, Lolah showcases the flexibility of natural rattan, used to articulate the armchair’s signature rolling topography and the ample curves that appear throughout the collection. For outdoors, virtually the same contours are realized in polyethylene.

Papillon armchair

Citing sundry sources of inspiration – bicycle spokes, the Ferris Wheel, a certain sartorial signature of the Philippines’ Imelda Marcos—Cobonpue ultimately chose the name Papillon, “butterfly” in French, to describe the chair’s dramatic focal point: taught linear weaving that radiates outward to form a pair of outsize arches reminiscent of wings. Hand-crafted from polyethylene, the arches set up a cocoon-like sense of privacy, without impeding the flow of light, sound and air.

About Kenneth Cobonpue: Kenneth Cobonpue is a multi-awarded furniture designer and manufacturer from Cebu, Philippines. His passage to design began in 1987, studying Industrial Design at the Pratt Institute in New York. While completing his studies, he apprenticed for a leather and wood workshop near Florence, Italy. He went on to study Furniture Marketing and Production at the Export-Akademie Baden-Württemberg in Reutlingen, Germany, under a private and state scholarship program, and subsequently worked in Bielefeld and Munich. For more information, visit www.kennethcobonpue.com.