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FEATUREVOLUME II • NO. 88 • OCTOBER 11-13, 2013 • FRIDAY - SUNDAYChristmasmotifs onthe rushA worker paintson colors to givelife to the pieces.For interioror exteriordecorationsCHRYSARAA NEST OF CHRISTMAS AND RELIGIOUS ICONSFor almost 30 years, Pampanga-based company,Chrysara, has been creating beautiful devotionalicons, home collectibles, giftware and small furniture,and exporting these to the world.High-end boutiques and catalogues in the United States,Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East and Asiahave been carrying Chrysara’s items, while only a handfulof Filipinos “in the know” have been privy to the wonderfulworks of this Filipino company.This year, Chrysara has opened its doors to Pampangaand beyond with Chrysara NEST, the company’s flagshipshop.At Chrysara NEST, one will find a wide range of worldclassFilipino handcrafted products such as devotionalicons—santos, retablos, the Nuestra Señora, angels andcherubs, nativity scenes, and crucifixes—as well as mirrors,sconces and wall décor, home accessories, patio décor, andcandelabras, among others.All their items are timeless and classic. Known for theway they mix materials, for their attention to detail in shapeand form, as well as for their special finishing techniques,the items are remarkable for their patina, which gives theman antique or carefully worn effect.While Chrysara NEST’s accessories have an antique aurato them, they translate across a wide range of interior styles.They are equally at home in maximalist and minimalist interiordesign schemes, as well as in traditional and modernsettings.All items are created by a team of highly skilled Filipino designers,carvers, resin-casters, tinsmiths and painters. IndeedChrysara NEST is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered.BACKGROUNDIn 1984, together with a small group of artisans, AliceReyes opened a home decor company in the basement of herhome in Pasay. She wanted to try her hand at establishingan export company that designed and produced items thatshowcased the talents of Philippine artisans and craftsmen.She named the company Chrysara for her children, Chris andSara.“Almost 30 years later, our handcrafted decorative accessoriescan be found in exclusive boutiques and catalogsacross the globe,” Alice Reyes quips.Alice, also known in the arts circles as the founder, visionaryformer artistic director and president of Ballet Philippines,is Chrysara’s creative director. Working alongside heris her daughter Sara Upton, who is director for sales andmarketing.Alice and Sara manage Chrysara from the United Stateswith a reliable team in Pampanga, composed of Kapampangansand employees from all over the Philippines, many ofwhom moved with them to Pampanga in 2000.Q: When you started Chrysara, how did you envisionit? Did you see it growing this big?Alice Reyes: No, I always just wanted to provide employmentfor my staff from The Galleon Shops, as well as subfactorieswe had partnered with. I saw a family-style operationwith everyone feeling the company was theirs as muchas it was mine. From day 1 there was profit sharing for all, soif everyone worked well and hard, there was that to look forwardto at the end of the year. If rent and payroll were takencare of, and there was some bonus at the end of the year foreveryone, that was a good thing.But the underlying theme was always Quality. In everything.Including service, not only to our buyers, but to eachother and quality in their lives. So the goal was to be “the bestlittle company in Asia.” Not too ambitious and earth shattering,right? The reason was simple—I was going to have tomanage stuff from 7000 miles away so we had to be as realisticas possible while still going forward competitively.Q: What is the secret to Chrysara’s success?AR: In retrospect, I would cite my theatre/dance backgroundfor two of the basic reasons for our longevity and growth—the highest quality standards possible and the dependabilityfactor.Our buyers knew that our production quality would bejust as good as the samples we sent out. And if we promisedyou shipment and delivery at such a date, we would moveheaven and earth to meet that commitment. Our buyers appreciatedthis and simply added it to the value given to ouritems.The third factor would be the immense range of our collections.There would inevitably be something to buy forevery buyer who came to our showroom. This was of coursethe most fun for me—the product development workshopsare beehives of activity year round, producing an average of500 new items annually. To witness design projects go froma 2-D sketch to a fully developed 3-D prototype is so satisfying.It’s a testimony to the talent and craftsmanship of ourFilipino artisans and workers.Q: With retail and online sales now becoming part ofChrysara, how do you envision Chrysara from here onout?Sara: Moving forward, the company will have two major areasof focus: our export brand Chrysara and our local brandChrysara NEST. With NEST we hope to gain exposure andmarket share throughout the Philippines.Our website will give people all over the country accessto our hand crafted items. As part of our strategy for thenational market we plan to integrate items inspired by Philippineart and culture such as belens and heirloom pieces.Our brick and mortar stores in Pampanga and Manila willhave an added focus of tailoring our items to the surroundingareas. For example, in Pampanga we plan to develop aline of ecclesiastical icons of local patron saints and of regionspecific retablos.We are very excited about sharing the work of our talentedartisans and having Chrysara NEST items find theirultimate homes right here in the Philippines.Q: Why did you choose to set up your headquartersin Pampanga?Sara: We are proud to be part of the Pampanga community.We chose Pampanga in part for its proximity to Manila,which is from where our goods are shipped. More importantlywe felt the move here would provide our employeeswith a better quality of life. Pampanga has a vibrant culture,it’s less crowded, has great schools, and of course, reallygood food! When we announced the move over 90 percentof our employees relocated with us, and many of themhave raised their families here. Pampanga is also home toso many skilled artisans and we have benefited immenselyfrom their talents.Chrysara NEST is at Angeles Industrial Park, Calibutbut,Bacolor, Pampanga, with contact number (045) 598 6036and email address, chrysara@chrysara.com.Chrysara NEST will also be opening in Mandaluyong andan online store, chrysara-nest.com, in November 2013. ●(ABL)BeyondboundariesFor the kids and kids at heart.OUR LADY OFGUADALUPEWITH ARCHChristmas‘Belen’characters