MANILA, Philippines?Movement 8 marked its eighth anniversary with cocktails at Budji Layug?s B at Home.

If there?s a batch of Filipino designers and artists that has cracked the global market, it?s Movement 8.

In the ?80s, few would have guessed it would be in home and furniture design where the Filipino would find a niche in the world market. At that time, everybody was banking on fashion design to land the Philippines on the world stage.

But as it turned out, in 1999, then Citem head Eli Pinto marshaled the trade exposition body?s resources to project and market the collective talents of Budji Layug, Kenneth Cobonpue, Tes Pasola, Tony Gonzales, Ann Pamintuan, Milo Naval and Carlo Cordaro.

But since Carlo didn?t stay active in Movement 8 and concentrated instead on his Cebu-based furniture export business, Pinto, herself a graduate of the Parsons School of Design, became the eighth member.

Pinto had that rare eye and talent for design, and more important, the leadership to nurture moody and temperamental designers and artists and point them to a productive direction.

Pinto and Layug yielded a most impressive creative collaboration and before long, Movement 8 was making an impact in major world trade fairs, enjoying a burgeoning following in major design cities, from Frankfurt to Milan.

Today Movement 8 includes Renato Vidal, Maricris Floirendo Brias, and Rene Alcala (of Domecillo fame).

Missing Eli

Eli passed away almost three years ago. ?I miss her every day,? Budji told me.

Budji has never stayed put. His life has been one exciting, creative movement. In the ?70s, he was known as Budjiwara, the hairdresser of Manila?s elite who created the hairstyles of the era. The name Budjiwara, in fact, is immortalized in the ?70s lyrics of the Hot Dogs, originator of the Manila Sound.

The public hardly knew that Budji didn?t deliberately set out on a hairstyling career. During a wild sojourn in Europe, a very young Budji, with bosom buddies Louie Cruz, Ron Gomez, and Petusa, thought of enrolling in Vidal Sassoon?s famous school because?I love hearing Louie tell this story?their bunch of spoiled kids wanted to overstay in London, and their parents wouldn?t let them. So a sure way to stay on was to study hairdressing!

Of course, only Budji and Petusa acquired skills from that grand excuse. They topped the class. Petusa would later do covers for British Vogue under the exotic name Pedro.

Louie went on to become the social icon of the ?80s and ?90s, whipping up the biggest parties unsurpassed to this day and the era-defining bar Giraffe. Obviously, he didn?t go into hairstyling. (?I only cut boy?s hair,? he?d tell me devilishly.)

As early as then, Budji proved to be a natural artist. Whatever he laid his hands on, he produced a work of art. In the ?70s, it was a pair of scissors, and Budjiwara became the hottest salon.

Vidal Sassoon group

At last week?s cocktails, the ?Vidal Sassoon group? was around, so in character, having fun?and directing the fun. I asked Petusa, who wore his trademark shades (at 8 in the evening, take note) why he had stopped cutting and styling hair, and how many of Manila?s socialites missed his touch.

In imperial tone, he said, ?I?m retired, dahling ? I don?t like to be like Vidal Sassoon, with these hands.? Then he proceeded to bend his fingers in the most bizarre contortion.

?Arthritis!? he said. ?I don?t want to end up with arthritic fingers!? Seeing my gullible expression, he continued, ?You see, your hands are tired from cutting hair, then you shampoo your client?s hair ? bad for the hands.? Indeed you learn a thing or two every day.

Budji furniture

But back to Budji. Having outgrown his Budjiwara phase, he went back to the family furniture business, and again, set the design trend in the country. His trailblazing bamboo furniture won a market at Bloomingdale?s.

Budji has come so far. His designs?from furniture to homes to buildings?are here and abroad, from Kuala Lumpur to Provence in France. His B at Home in Bangkok is a well-known design showcase.

Budji is a Filipino artist who has evolved ahead of his era. His aesthetics is not that of a native purist. Rather he has powerfully blended Asia with the world; his is modernity with an Oriental soul. And it is still evolving interestingly.

World stage

Collectively and individually, Movement 8 evolves its art on the world stage. Cobonpue is the hottest furniture designer, with a following even in Hollywood (Brad Pitt has a Cobonpue). He told us he had just come from yet another show abroad. His latest, Noodles Collection, photographed for the first time in Marissa Fernan?s ?Cebu Pride of Place? coffeetable book to be launched soon, is an interesting line inspired by doodlings.

For this anniversary event that went without hype, Movement 8 created artworks?again to raise the bar. They turned the elegant B at Home into a vast design statement for 2008.

For the first time, Budji displayed his paintings?abstract acrylics. Not known to many, Budji?s paintings?when he agrees to part with them, which is actually between never and rarely?have caught the interest of yuppie art collectors in Asia, who see a few of them in the Bangkok showroom. But it takes some convincing for Budji to part with them or to even exhibit them. The Movement 8 anniversary was an exception.

Kenneth created a wall installation that, for him, defined space in relation to figures. Tes Pasola, whose paper wall art is sought after by collectors, displayed a bright mural in the receiving area. Her Christmas paper installations are worth the trip to Grand Hyatt on M. H. del Pilar in Manila. Hyatt has tapped Tes to do the Christmas décor this year. It was Ann Pamintuan?s turn last year.

At the anniversary, Ann displayed her metal sculptures and lotus metal bed. Tony Gonzales showed his paper wall art and the big hit in the Gifts and Graces auction this year?his mother-of-pearl vases.

Luisa Robinson displayed her table centerpieces made of shell and mesh wire. Rene exhibited his signature mother-of-pearl mirror. Maricris showed her lanterns. Milo didn?t have the time to contribute pieces but his winning furniture were all over the venue.

Lifestyle store

Where will the Movement go now?

?Everywhere,? Budji said. ?Movement 8 always moves.?

The first stop of that ?everywhere? is Greenbelt 5 where Budji will open in the first quarter of 2008 a 1,000-sq m lifestyle store featuring not only the works of Movement 8, but also a fashion corner, a cafe, a gallery and other interests and strengths of Budji. It is set to become the biggest lifestyle must-see in 2008.

Welcome back, Helena

At the Movement 8 party was Helena Guerrero, in her signature dyed turban and robe. The Catalan-born design visionary shook Manila in the ?70s and ?80s.

?I see my life as (made up of) chapters. That chapter is finished, closed. Now I move on,? she told us, explaining how her life in New York is all behind her, and how she?s now developing an island in Palawan.