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BUDJI: A FORCE
OF NATURE |
| The Designer’s
Furnishings Evolve From Materials Indigenous To
His Native Country |
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Lampacana, narra wood, pandan,
tanguile wood — these are just a few of
the plants, trees and shrubs that inspire the
creations of furniture designer Budji. Born
in the Philippines, Budji looks to the exotic
foliage of his native country as the source
of his creative process. One “mixed medium”
design — as he calls each piece —
might incorporate three or more natural materials.
“What excites me is the discovery of a
material that can be interpreted into a new
design and shape, and bring new meaning to its
use today,” Budji says.
Born Antonio C. Layug, the designer grew up
surrounded by architects, artists and craftsmen |
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| ABOVE: “I am inspired by
designers who have a modern, eclectic approach
and can give a classic design a fresh silhouette,”
says Antonio C. “Budji” Layug. |
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ABOVE: Bamboo forms the base
of the “Cluster Bamboo Table.” The
hand-selected poles are curved and clustered
just as they would appear in nature.
LEFT: The “Giant Bamboo Opium Couch”
is Budji’s interpretation of an Oriental
day bed. One of his early designs, it is still
a best seller.
BELOW: Budji’s version of an antique armless
slipper chair comes to life in the “Claire
Easy Chair,” which combines modern comfort
and organic materials. |
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His mother, Herminia, owned a furniture
design and manufacturing company where the workers
affectionately nicknamed him “Budji.”
As a young boy, he proved to have an innate ability
for drawing and design. “I was raised in an
artistic environment and exposed early on to furniture
design because of the family business,” Budji
relates. “My mother also co-founded a design
school in Manila, and my two sisters, Leila and Jo,
are both artists.”
Given his background, Budji embraced the design world
with ease. “After high school, my mother encouraged
me to go to New York to study interior design,”
he says. Upon graduating from the New York School
of Interior Design, he traveled to Europe and then
returned home to study architecture at St. Thomas
University in Manila.
The trip to Europe, though, only whetted Budji’s
appetite for adventure. Abandoning his studies, he
spent the next seven years touring the continent.
In England, he enrolled at Vidal Sassoon to become
a hairstylist — a move that eventually brought
him back to his “roots.”
In Manila, he opened his own salon, which quickly
garnered recognition for its creative atmosphere.
A successful businessman, Budji now had the freedom
to pursue other interests, such as exploring the countryside
and beaches of the Philippines. Fascinated by the
native vegetation and the locals’ expert craftsmanship,
Budji began sketching furniture designs and experimenting
with bamboo.
He soon launched his first collection, “Giant
Bamboo,” which caught the eye of Bloomgindale’s
and served as his entrée into the U.S. market.
His next collection, “Locust,” was inspired
by a basket for trapping locusts.
After two years of retail sales, he decided to redirect
his focus on interior design and the contract market.
Then, in 1984, his brother opened Budji’s first
showroom in Los Angeles under the newly established
Budji Corp. Reorganized in 1992, the company relocated
its headquarters to Maryland and became The Budji
Collections, Inc. to further its American presence.
Combining the yin and yang of Eastern simplicity and
Western functionality, his designs reflect his philosophy
that form and function must coexist harmoniously.
“They communicate the overall feeling of balance
— function and style, comfort and harmony,”
Budji says.
In addition to bamboo, he began experimenting with
leather and rattan. At the same time, he started naming
his creations after family and friends. “Every
material and silhouette is influenced by the character
and personality of the individual,” he says.
Today, his sculptural furnishings and interior designs
grace some of the most prestigious hotels, offices
and residences throughout the world. In Florida, resorts
such as Walt Disney World’s Polynesian Village
in Orlando and Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
on Little Torch Key have commissioned his services.
“I enjoy traveling, and derive inspiration from
things as simple as hand-woven baskets from mountain
provinces to the urban life of Paris and Singapore,”
he says.
While bringing an international perspective to his
designs, Budji stays true to his native environment.
“I will always be strongly rooted in the Philippines,
and want my work to express a feeling from this part
of the world that can be adapted to a global way of
living,” he says.
Showrooms across the country carry The Budji Collections,
Inc., including Design West, Inc., in the Design Center
of the Americas in Dania Beach, Fla. Beacon Hill and
Baker Knapp & Tubbs, also in DCOTA, represent
E.J. Victor, which produces the “Budji Studio
Collection.”
For further information, contact The Budji Collections,
Inc. at 410/658-3126, or visit the website at www.budji.com. |
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