IN ONE of the mid-rise buildings along the Scouts area is a furniture showroom showing off millions of pesos in Italian furniture. Frankly, while there’s no sign (yet), we kind of like the air of mystery that surrounds it, and the fact that you have to know where it is to get there.
Enter Moda Interni, a furniture showroom featuring pieces from three Italian brands: Turri, Pedini, and Opera Contemporary.
Turri’s in-store selection shows off chic living room sets, and a glam dressing table, low and sexy — the lines make sense when one learns that the brand was founded smack in the middle of the Roaring Twenties.
Curves are the game for Pedini, so far the world’s only manufacturer of curved modular kitchens — but they also make walk-in closets.
We do, however, have a soft spot for Opera Contemporary, showing off a luxurious bed, and a glamorous salmon living room, and an opulent study setup with a desk carved with diamond patterns — the business was founded in the 1800s, with some of their pieces still seen in the royal palaces they furnished then.
These brands are distributed under Moda Interni by Goldwin Sison, who has been in the furnishing business for 13 years. While dabbling in locally produced modular cabinetry, he had been visiting Milan’s world-famous furniture shows for inspiration and research.
However, Mr. Sison really began his dive into luxury furniture during the pandemic. He had anticipated terrible sales during those years, but, he was wrong. “We experienced the highest growth in sales.”
“People stayed at home for far longer hours… [Before] gabi lang tayo nasa bahay (we’d only stay at home at night). But during the pandemic, we spent the whole day (at home),” he said in a group interview during a store tour on Sept. 19.
In a mix of English and Filipino, he said, “People realized that their homes no longer served them. We want to provide havens. When you enter your house, you’ll feel really at home.”
CENTER OF DESIGNAll the brands in the store are from Italy: a recent addition is Lago, built in 1976, which uses X-Glass to create illusions of floating furniture. Mr. Sison said about the store’s selections: “Italy is the center of design in the whole world. Milan is the center of design in the whole world, and art. And culture.”
“My considerations are how good the research and development (of these brands) is. I believe (that) in a business, innovation is key.”
Speaking with BusinessWorld, he elaborated about his thoughts on Italy and Italian design: “It’s really the character of the people living there. A place without people is just a place, but Milan’s population is so well-connected to the arts,” said Mr. Sison.
While he demurs from naming any of his celebrity and political clients for reasons of privacy, he did talk about the ways his clients can customize their furniture. The baseline for the furniture is walnut wood, but one can choose other materials. Sofas can be upholstered in cashmere, but if one should be tickled by a fabric from, say, luxury brand Loro Piana, that can be done as well. He pointed to what he said was the most expensive item in the room: a marble-topped table from Turri, costing P4 million. That wasn’t enough for one client who wanted a bigger version able to seat 22 people, blowing up the table’s cost to P20 million.
They also have after-sales care. Of course, the brands have warranties (if your Pedini kitchen unit, for example, is registered with the brand, that means one gets a 10-year warranty). They’ve also partnered with a Japanese brand for maintenance, with services like shampooing and other treatments for the furniture, with the first maintenance service given for free.
Responding to a question about the meaning of luxury, “In my opinion, price has nothing to do with it. The price is just a (result) of what you use… if you use good leather, then the price will be higher.”
While we’re talking millions and celebrities and royals, at the core of Moda Interni is the goal to simply to provide a good home. “The home is the first place we mold our character. We grow in there, we get inspired; we celebrate success,” said Mr. Sison.
“If a lot of Filipinos can (get) to that goal, then I can say Moda Interni is successful.”
Moda Interni is located at the fifth Floor, Bonavida Center, Diliman, Brgy. Ugong Norte, Quezon City. Contact sales@modainterni.ph, or call +639177256456 to schedule an appointment. — Joseph L. Garcia
