“People look at the fashion industry like it’s just all glamorous, but it’s not. If they only knew the behind-the-scenes, it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. However, in the end, it’s all worth it,” says 26-year-old young designer Anika Martirez as she talks about her passion and her new clothing line, Anika.
Anika is fairly new in the fashion scene, but as social media plays a huge role in shaping the fashion market, her designs have caught the attention of industry personalities and fashion publications. Her clothing line started in 2015 but her official trunk show opened early this year, and Instagram has been playing a major role in attracting the market, putting her creations to fore via her Instagram account @wear.anika. The brand targets the taste of millennial women whose preference in clothing is light, comfortable yet fashion forward and savvy.
PHOTO BY STAR SABROSO
Anika’s philosophy is about wearable understatement. “Easily feminine, so very wearable, but at the same time it could be worn by any woman of any age, background or status and still look effortless and chic without trying,” she shares.
According to the young designer, learning restraint is very important especially when it comes to designing. “It’s about practicing your restraint and control at the same time. Stay true to your aesthetic,” she says. “There aren’t really any rules when it comes to the art of fashion, but it’s important to stay true to your philosophy,” Anika reiterates.
Being a fashion designer is Anika’s lifelong dream. After getting out of college, she figured that she wanted to pursue a more formal education on fashion design. She pursued a career in Merchandise Marketing and then took up Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Four years of living in LA convinced her that she really wanted to produce ready-to-wear, not couture.
Following her first collection that exudes LA’s casual vibe in dressing, the young designer’s latest collection called “Femme. Film. Fiction” is inspired by her favorite films from different genres. The second collection plays on the youthfulness, sensuality and vulnerability portrayed by various fictional characters on film. “All these films, like the cinematography, the stories, and the female characters especially, I love how feminine they are, their youthfulness. There’s sensuality,” she explains. “My designs are very youthful but even a 40-year-old woman can rock my piece,” she adds.
She intends for people to feel chic and classy while wearing her pieces without having to try hard or lose their personal style. She wants her pieces to stay very effortless and feminine, at the same time very easy that they can be mixed and matched even with one’s existing wardrobe.
The favorite part of Anika about being a fashion designer is having creative control. “In all aspects of the business, I get to say what I want, how I wanted (it done) and the outcome is something I like, because from point A to point B, I’m very hands on with it,” she says. “You’re your own boss. You choose the theme you want.”
She encourages all young designers to start their own business because she believes that it is better for one to build one’s own dream than be hired and build someone else’s dream. She says, “Do what you love. Give your all. Do it with love. If you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
Anika sees her brand expanding online and might work on new pieces for resort wear. She’s currently working on her own eCommerce website that will carry her line. Her goal is to become the go to RTW brand in the Philippines where people can find good quality products without having to break the bank.– Marjaleen Ramos
Follow @wear.anika on Instagram and visit anikamartirez.blogspot.com to learn more about the designer. Order the new collection at www.wearanika.com