By Linda Bolido
IN THE HANDS OF A LESS disciplined artist, “Swarovski-crystalled” furniture would

probably have been glittery but gaudy, a tasteless attempt at creating a look of luxury and opulence.

Swarovski obviously knew that. Constantly searching for ways to showcase the versatility of its products, the Austria-based company had “lent” its crystals only to people it knew would project, even enhance, the image it wanted for its products, pieces that are just a little lower in value than real gems.

Quite fortuitously, Carlo Tanseco was in a constant search—for new materials, for innovations, for new twists he could introduce to his already celebrated furniture and home accessories designs.

After almost a year of casual exchanges, a collaborative project between the searchers—the architect-turned-furniture-designer and Swarovski—finally crystallized, pun intended.

The resulting items made their debut during the recent October edition of the twice-a-year Manila FAME (Furnishings and Apparel Manufacturers Exchange).

Of the partnership that was formally forged only some three months ago, the thirtysomething Tanseco said: “I wanted to introduce something different (to both) old and new designs. I always try something different and (using the crystals) was having value added to traditional products.”

Crossing

He said he was thinking of moving into a totally different line of furniture and houseware and was looking for new materials when he crossed paths with the Swarovski people, who were thinking of having Filipino designers incorporate their crystals into their work.

But getting the project off the ground took a while “because we wanted to launch it properly. It couldn’t be launched in a small way.”

Manila FAME, launching pad for many award-winning designs, was the clear and natural choice for the unveiling of the “Evolution” exhibit that also included accents and accessories, some signaling a new direction for the designer, others interesting reworking of familiar pieces and materials.

Olivier Camus, vice-president operations for North and Southeast Asia Pacific, said: “Our collaboration with Carlo Tanseco for the Evolution Exhibit of Manila FAME is our first approach to the interior segment in the Philippines. (It) is the first major project of Swarovski in Asia.”

Before working with the Filipino designer, Swarovski had collaborated with interior design professionals and students in Europe and the United Kingdom on the use of crystals for furniture and home accessories and accents.

Show pieces

Tanseco assures prospective customers that, while the addition of Swarovski crystals raises the pieces’ prices a bit, they can keep the costs within their budgets by how much glitter they want. The pieces he prepared for the Manila FAME, the designer said, were obviously for show.

“They were designed to wow,” was how he put it.

And, indeed, they wowed—not in a screaming, hysterical way but in hushed, awed tones. Though Tanseco obviously had carte blanche in the use of Swarovski pieces, his wow pieces were head-turners not because of their generous use of crystals but by the tasteful blending of materials.

Whether in the decorative baskets, the wooden dividers or metal flower chair, the crystals were added in such a way that they were almost like natural parts of the main materials used.

Other designers might have made the mistake of making the crystals call attention to themselves, ruining the impact of the total design, but in Tanseco’s deft and creative hands, the Swarovski pieces blended seamlessly, allowing each piece to be admired as a whole, glitters included.

He might have been tempted to go over the top but his artistry and innate discipline ensured that the pieces were not ostentatious and that they remained within the boundaries of good taste. The pieces were subtly elegant, as pleasing to the eye as they were comfortable and functional.

Tanseco said his designs, specifically for furniture, were always informed by four F’s—form, function, familiarity and frivolity. Lest anyone misunderstands, frivolity, as Tanseco uses it, simply refers to a spirit of fun, a little bit of playfulness.

The Filipino designer is unfazed by design pirates. He said Filipinos kept ahead of the competition by continuously innovating, using materials available only in the country or mixing materials to confound copycats.

Tanseco says he draws inspiration from nature. “If you look at it [nature], there’s a science to it, there’s a design, and a structure.”

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