Michelle Fontelera has been successful at running Zen Zest, a perfume brand, for over two decades. However, her passion and creativity continue to reach greater heights through her passion project, Casa Juan.

Casa Juan, named after her late son, is more than just a local tableware business — it is a brand that reintroduces and celebrates Filipino culture and the arts through intricately designed and curated plate designs, napkins, table runners, and more.

“My vision for the brand is we want to bring a touch of (the) Philippines to every home, one plate at a time, one product at a time,” Fontelera said in a PAIRFECT interview with DAILY TRIBUNE.

“With Zen Zest, my purpose was to have a better life, to provide jobs for my employees. But now with Casa Juan, it’s a different purpose: It’s to promote Philippine culture, to promote our country, and educate people,” she added.

Modern, accessible local homeware brand

There are many platforms and avenues to showcase local art, and with Casa Juan, it is through home decor and tableware.

This concept of bringing the country’s rich and vibrant heritage was a lightbulb moment for Fontelera, who enjoys traveling and entertaining guests and loved ones at home: “One of the reasons why I wanted to have my own plate business is because I was in Korea and other parts of the world, and I saw a lot of plates, and I thought to myself, ‘I think bagay ito na (this would be nice) Filipino designed.’”

Through this eureka moment, the creative genius of successfully merged tableware and Filipino design while also championing skilled and hardworking artisans — who are the backbone of her business — merged.

Fontelera revealed that she has always kept in touch with local craftsmen, who have always ensured that every product under Casa Juan is unique, high quality, and worth every peso.

“We are always in touch with the local weavers and artisans in Laguna, so it’s nice because this year, we plan to explore more and travel more in the Philippines,” she said.

Moreover, every plate and tells a story that resonates with the audience.

These stories are further amplified through meaningful collaborations with well-known names across various industries. Casa Juan has collaborated with acclaimed fashion designer Rajo Laurel and popular illustrator Kora Dandan-Albano.

Additionally, Fontelera revealed that they will also be launching Filipino recipe plates, which is a collaboration with renowned chef Reggie Aspiras.

“We want to promote Filipino dishes,” Fontelera shared, adding that the upcoming collection will be a keepsake, a collectible, and a recipe in one product.

Celebrating Filipino artistry

Despite the brand being a few years young, it has successfully reached both local and international communities, which is a testament to its commitment to showcasing world-class Filipino design and craftsmanship to the world.

“I’m so happy that people right now, especially Filipinos, mas nagiging nationalistic na sila. Mas nagiging patriotic na sila (Filipinos are becoming more nationalistic; they are becoming more patriotic),” Fontelera said, adding that more Filipinos are leaning towards supporting and buying modern Filipino products instead of imported products.

Apart from honoring local art, Fontelera shared that she also wanted art to be something more within reach of Filipinos.

“We want art to be functional, purposeful and useful in our homes, (and to) be a part of our everyday life,” she said.

“I just want people to feel nostalgic,” she added, sharing that her collaborations and upcoming launches allowed her to share more relatable stories and Filipino experiences through each product.

With these reasons, the hardworking businesswoman is hopeful that Casa Juan will achieve bigger milestones over the years while also reaching more Filipinos.

“My dream is for Casa Juan to be a global brand. I want us to be able to export our products abroad so more people can be exposed to Philippine culture and art,” she said.

What’s on the table for Michelle Fontelera