Rachy Cuna’s: Magical hands, dramatic gifts

MANILA, Philippines — Abel from Ilocos. Bahag material from the Cordilleras. Sinamay from Bicol. Banig from Bohol, Samar and Leyte. T’nalak from Cotobato.

Retasos of local cotton fabric. Lengths of kulambo. Strips of gugo tree bark. Coils of nipa. Bundles of buri. Banana leaves and coconut fronds. Bamboo poles, recycled kraft paper and brown envelopes.

Baskets of different shapes made of nito and rattan. Slabs of bilao-like nigo. Piles of salakot. Mason jars, bottles of all sizes, shapes and colors. Palayoks, ceramic and porcelain plates. Tons of drawstring bags.

And the list goes on…and on.

Name any local material imaginable, and Rachy Cuna, the Philippines’ design whiz, has expert proficiency in utilizing it.

Armed with his trusty arsenal of various pairs of scissors, sturdy pliers, sharpened cutters and a staple gun – a new discovery that “makes life so much easier,” he enthuses –  alongside caches of wires, strings and gift wrapping paraphernalia with hardly any use of tape, Rachy sets to work – make that play – as he creates masterpiece after masterpiece in his inimitable flamboyant and unpredictable style.

But his favorite tool, he jests, are “my two little hands! Thank God.”

“Telas, telas, telas (cloth)!” are his favorite materials, due to its versatility. “It can take on any size and shape, it can turn into anything,” he says.

The Master of Style has made a name for himself in the niche of the highly personalized, expressive field of gift wrapping, as he continually treads where few dare go.

An active and engaged artisan, his clients-turned-friends often assert he is a gentleman full of surprises – as everything he does turns into an obra maestra.

As a result, his seemingly countless experiments always give birth to yet another piece that is uniquely Rachy – none of his attempts at innovation ever ends in failure. If a piece doesn’t work out to his liking, he simply repositions one thing, twists another, maybe adds just one more element so it comes out just right.

Though influenced by his many travels around our rustic islands and other cities abroad, he admits that he admires the Japanese art of gift wrapping, where the packaging means almost as much as the gift.

Through the years, he has studied their inner and traditional reverence to this artistry, but his appreciation does not end there. He has molded and crafted his own take – Filipinized it, if you will – on its history and heritage, culture and custom.

This holiday season, his hands are particularly busy – no, make that swamped – with long lines of projects, to include the transformation of hotel lobbies into venues of holiday celebrations, adornment of offices with timely decor and the elegant embellishments to dress up homes. Due to the trust he has earned, most of his patrons grant him free reign over their projects.

“During Christmas the amazing spirit of sharing is practically everywhere. There are no boundaries and limitations when it comes to my designs, so my pieces are more exciting and more creative.” he shares, with a glint in his eye.

In fact, a habit of his is to design new utilitarian products and household items, which he sends as personal presents to friends.

According to this polymath, his most cherished part of the holidays is “receiving gifts!” he laughs. “Or rather, the excitement of not knowing what it bears. It constantly brings about a pleasing surprise!” he adds.

On the other hand, he dislikes the hectic schedules once the -ber months start.

“How I wish I had more hours in a day!” he laments. “There are simply too many dear ones to spend some precious moments with. Yet, we only have 24 hours a day, regardless of the season.”

Due to strict deadlines and the aforementioned calendar overload, late deliveries from suppliers are one of his main frustrations.

One of his most memorable tasks, according to Rachy, was when he fashioned a box made entirely of jade – which some consider as a gift in itself – to serve merely as a receptacle for a piece of heirloom jewelry. The end result was a minimalistic wrap of thick golden cord tied around the chic viridian casing.

As for more than just add-ons, which give his pieces the distinct Rachy touch, he digs into a roomful of “butingtings and kuchi-kuchi” as he calls them, utilized as adornment to give any package that special finishing touch.

Are you ready? Just imagine: Clutches of walis tingting. Strips of piña cloth. A variety of seashells. Medleys of capiz shells on tassels. Strings of pearls. Hordes of necklaces and glass beads. Handfuls of semi-precious stones.

Sourced from all over the Philippines – he scours the labyrinth that is Divisoria, dry and wet markets, trade fairs and exhibitions, and seeks outregional tribes, prisoners on rehab, women in livelihood programs, fund raising events of charitable institutions and NGOs – he buys, collects and hoards all he can for his personal treasure chests of prized abubots, knowing full well that he will be able to use all of them somehow, some day.

“Whatever I use, there must be drama in my gift wraps. Isn’t life one big drama?” he quips with a mischievous smile.

For aspiring artists, Rachy shares some advice: “Enjoy whatever you’re doing, and have the never-ending passion for it. Make certain to share your talents with others. Never be greedy. Never be selfish.”

The best compliments, he admits, are when recipients notice the wrapping of their gifts with comments such as, “This is the most distinctive wrapping I’ve ever seen,” or “You never run out of great exquisite ideas.”

Due to unpredictable schedules and before we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, Rachy hands me a surprise regalo, which I haven’t opened up, for I’m still admiring the handiwork of a genius.