MISS UNIVERSE 2018 Catriona Gray, whose roots are in both the Philippines and Australia, has designed a furniture line in collaboration with local brand Genteelhome.
In a press conference on March 21 at the brand’s branch in the Podium in the Ortigas Center (it has three: that one, one in La Union, then its home branch in Pampanga), the brand showed off Ms. Gray’s collection, named “Payak” (“simple” in Filipino).
There are five pieces in the collection: the Mayon Lounge Chair, the Pinay Accent Chair, the Balik Tanaw Side Table, the Beh and She Side Tables, and the Kapit-Bisig shelf. They are made of teak wood, while the ropes used are made of lampakanay (cattail), as well as a fabric meant for outdoor furniture. While the pieces can be used indoors, they are tough enough to be used outside.
The Mayon chair in pink and orange is inspired by the Mayon Volcano, while its curved shape recalls the flow of lava. Ms. Gray won the Miss Universe pageant in 2018 wearing a gown centered around the same themes — that, and her mother hails from Bicol where the volcano is found.
The Pinay accent chair, meanwhile, takes inspiration from the baro’t saya traditional dress. The Balik Tanaw side table appears like a frame, recalling a swatch of inabel* fabric a gift she received from National Living Treasure Magdalena Gamayo, that Ms. Gray wanted framed.
The Beh and She tables (say the name together and you get beshie, slang for “best friend”), according to Ms. Gray, have bangles attached to them due to her own fondness for the bangles worn by the T’boli people.
Finally, the Kapit-Bisig shelf integrates colored abaca weaving as a nod to generations of Filipina weavers.
“Furniture naman (this time). It really makes sense,” she said, mentioning that she had a hand in designing the jewelry she wore during her Miss Universe win. “Every detail has intention behind it.”
“The whole collection is payak, but for me, it represents slow living — slowing down, having intentional time, with intentional pieces,” she said during the press conference.
“I hope these pieces find a way to help express your most authentic and relaxed self at home,” she added.
According to her, a portion of the proceeds from this collaboration will go to her favorite charities (Ms. Gray has been involved with causes relating to children, as well as HIV or human immunodeficiency virus awareness). “I will be giving some of the proceeds to my charity of choice — still finalizing which one that will be. It’s important for me to give back. This effort, all this collaboration wasn’t about earning. For me, it’s really an expression of my creativity,” she said.
“I have pride in my heart knowing that these pieces are really benefitting the livelihood of Capampangans who are making this lovingly by hand,” she added.
Speaking about what home means for her, she said: “I feel like a home for anyone should be an escape from the hustle and bustle of the world. It should be a space where you can come back and feel just like yourself… you can just be you.”
For more information about the collection, visit www.genteelhome.ph. — Joseph L. Garcia
*Inabel is a handwoven cotton fabric from the Ilocos region.