Iñigo the brave

Shortly after I returned to live in the Philippines again, I became involved in an effort to set up a day care center in Silang, Cavite. Asking around for an artist to brighten up the walls with colorful murals, someone suggested Iñigo Elizalde.

What he produced (with the help of his friend Carlos Celdran) was so impressive. Everyone commented on how cheerful the place became because of the wall decorations. I also recall that, one night, he quickly sketched a wonderful chair design for me at a club where people had been asked to contribute their own seats! This was evidently someone who seems to have the discipline to turn on his creative juices at will.

Iñigo is one person who is not afraid to follow his bliss. Growing up in a clan of business people, he managed to carve out his own path in the arts. His early education was quite conventional, attending San Agustin School in Makati and then moving on to Portsmouth Abbey School on Rhode Island.

He began to sense a stronger calling to explore more aesthetic pursuits after driving around Italy with his dad and brothers. He has this to say about this episode: “I started painting like mad after that trip and made the decision that my life was going to be involved in the arts in some capacity for sure.” Fortunately, his teachers at the academy saw his potential and encouraged him to study art in college — something that no one else in his family had ever done.

Flat-weave rug designed for Tai Ping made of wool

Our young artist’s budding talents were nurtured at one of the finest institutions in the world — the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He fondly remembers his years at RISD as a meaningful time filled with art and art history. He even recalls one particular lesson quite vividly. It began with a film clip of an actual incident when a deranged man attacked the statue of David, Michelangelo’s world-famous masterpiece. Though of course it was not meant to show support for such destructive activities, the message was still clear: one must not be afraid to question authority and be free of stereotypes.

Asked to name his design heroes Iñigo lists William Morris, the British artist who tried to create entire environments, from whole houses to the smallest chairs. He also mentions the founders of the groundbreaking Finnish firm, Marimekko, which became famous for its lively prints with bright primary colors. Still another influence was Filipino National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. Clearly, all these choices suggest pioneers who were bold, innovative, and unafraid to try out new things.

After graduation Iñigo took on a job with a production company doing a lot of experimental work. He says that “it was mostly me and my friends going crazy on stage.” After many years of this he felt worn out and needed a rest.

Cimbal, icaro amd tyrol rugs designed by Iñigo for the author, Bea Zobel Jr.

Coming back to the Philippines Iñigo got involved with a number of creative projects even while he spent time deciding what to do next. New York beckoned again and soon he was on his way back to the Big Apple. He was interviewed by Rafe Totengco, the Filipino designer who was just beginning to make it big in the United States. Rafe asked him if he knew how to take pictures and Iñigo quickly said yes without giving the matter much thought. Suddenly he found himself alone in a room with a number of bags and a digital camera that he barely knew how to operate. Fortunately, his years at RISD came to the fore and he was able to produce a good batch of shots. Iñigo would end up playing many roles in Totengco’s growing company, including being the in-house graphics person. He was also the art director, conceptualizing advertising campaigns and the like.

While working at Rafe’s, he managed to go back to school taking a course in screen printing at the famous Fashion Institute of Technology. At the same time he was creating fabric patterns for Freddy and Ma. He also approached the hip clothing company, Anthropologie, to see if they would be interested in collaborating with him. They asked him to work on a series of prints.

Today, designing is what dominates Iñigo Elizalde’s time. He has been whipping up new ideas for carpets with Tai Ping in partnership with the dynamic Evelyn Lim Forbes. He still recalls his excitement when he first saw Forbes’ incredible operations, which consisted of a factory in Metro Manila and another one in Pampanga. Tai Ping is a recognized trailblazer in the field, a Filipino company that we can all be proud of as it is turning out carpets that are celebrated throughout the world. 

Heritage-rug made of handmade wool for Tai Ping

Iñigo, for one, can never forget the first time he was shown the range of colors and textures that Evelyn was putting at his disposal. One of the pieces that he designed for Evelyn is a medley of subtle beige tones inspired by waves breaking on a beach. He says that he is a great fan of the found objects, believing that designs are everywhere, and that an artist’s role is recognizing the many patterns that surround us and enhancing these so that they can be more meaningful. He even once stopped in the middle of a road just to photograph the bark of a tree knowing that he would be using it for one of his future products.

All these rich life experiences finally bore fruit with the launch of Iñigo Elizalde Rugs. The company has exhibited at the prestigious and exclusive International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. It has been featured by many of the leading interiors magazine and has ongoing contracts with mills not just in the Philippines but in India and Nepal as well. Clearly our young artist is now conquering the world!

When I asked him recently what advice he could give to aspiring designers, he readily replied that one must not be afraid to stick to one’s guns. It seems that sometimes in the US, foreigners who work in creative fields are not immediately taken seriously. It is essential to be ready to fight for one’s convictions and to apply one’s self 1,000 percent in the execution of every job. One missed deadline or delivery and people will no longer look you up.

Despite the fact that he has had the good fortune of a privileged background, Iñigo doesn’t believe in unproductive pampering. He is grateful for having had the resources that won for him a good education and a wide exposure to the many artistic perspectives of the planet. But he is, at the same time, very aware that all these are meaningless without the capacity for hard work. Yes, success demands sacrifice no matter how you look at it. Iñigo further stresses that people sometimes tend to think that those who are privileged don’t really have what it takes to survive. He sees this as a test, a goad to strive harder to prove his worth.

Iñigo attends to buyers at the 2010 ICFF.

Describing himself as a designer who is from the Philippines, Iñigo is happy to incorporate Filipino motifs into his work. He recently invested a lot of hours digitizing patterns from references compiled by the Design Center in Manila as well as images from Vigan blankets and the fabrics of the T’boli. He hopes to use these as inspirations for his upcoming creations. 

However and wherever Iñigo Elizalde ends up, I think it is safe to say that he will be going far. He has shown that he has the courage and the discipline to defy convention to aim for the cutting edge in his new designs. Though he could have chosen an easier cozier path he chose the more difficult way of the artist in pursuit of new visions. Given the many fantastic things that have emerged from Iñigo’s active imagination, one can only wait with bated breath for what he will be unveiling next! Hopefully it will be inspired on our wonderful Filipino ethnic motifs.