These up-and-coming fashion designers are aware of their mission – it’s not a mission imposed on them but a mission born from a genuine concern for sustainability and desire to make a difference.
Aware of current problems and challenges in the fashion industry, from which consumers demand sustainability and inclusivity, these fresh faces are carving their way to sustainable, cutting-edge fashion.
Raya Aleczandra Abastillas showcases her distinctive, technical, and visual explorations and groundbreaking perspectives of the creative textile process. Her Sa Pula, Sa Puti collection celebrates the Filipino culture in the backdrop of the thriving Pinoy activity sabong (cockfight).
Miguel Isidore Balingit utilizes the power of imagery to present a fashion designer’s point of view, as his way to present the design process behind each look. His Manila 2219 collection brings the possibilities of the dystopian future into the present – a tomorrow where National Capital Region remains to be the only livable space.
Eunhye Cho challenges the conventions of fashion as she turns her ensembles into art. Her Oriental Fusion collection, which features wearable installation art, seeks the balance of the cultural identities of the Philippines and South Korea.
Miri Angela Hwang is powered with a vision to discover new concepts that give birth to thought-provoking, fashion-forward and directional ensembles. Her contemporary menswear collection dubbed Abo depicts her interpretation of our islands surviving an attack. It heavily focuses on deconstructed garments that come in different shapes and functionalities, as well as wearable sculptures of unusual textures and unconventional materials such as wood, plastic, and cardboard.
Pamela Madlangbayan exhibits designs and strong brand narrative that promises to flourish in the market. A tribute to overseas Filipino workers, her Balikbayan collection plays with graphic embellishments and vivid colors to depict the inscriptions and symbols seen on balikbayan boxes. She fuses modern technology with leading practices and incorporates streetwear and utilitarian elements into traditional Filipino clothing such as the Filipiniana and Barong Tagalog, among many others.
Erika Mae Ng utilizes fashion to address important issues of sustainability, community, and responsible design solutions. In her collection Putik, she portrays the duality of nature through the wonders of Philippine agriculture juxtaposed with environmental issues such as soil erosion. She likewise took the opportunity to pay homage to the hardworking Filipino farmers. Her advocacy transcends in her recent collection BIOPLASTIK, which brings light to the dangers of waste pollution.