Versus: Marga Nograles and Amina Alunan
Homegrown fashion brands are taking the world by storm— Marga Nograles and Amina Alunan are elevating local design with every stitch and seam
MARGA NOGRALES’ journey into fashion was a serendipitous one. While working as Havaianas’ sub distributor in southeast Mindanao, she would get regular visits from locals Ate Elena and daughter Gigi asking for assistance. She reminisces: “I realized we needed something sustainable, something that can empower her. She’s such a good, sweet person. So
I told her, ‘Why don’t you make jackets, and I’ll buy your jackets.’” With the hopes of uplifting the Mindanao region and its people, Kaayo was born. “For the longest time, no one cared for Mindanao, but there are so much treasures and culture in our region. I think my life’s work really is to promote them, show the world what we have.” Further pushing the envelope, Nograles opens up about a special project she is currently working on. She and her team were given the opportunity to showcase Kaayo’s vibrant designs and craftsmanship on recent trips to Cambodia and China, to meet fellow weavers in Asia. Inspired by the rich cultures and diverse techniques, she and her team conceptualized designs to incorporate a fusion of “Southeast Asia.” Nograles wants to honor and respect the tradition and story behind every weave and textile. She clarifies, “Some people would say, ‘Will they not like that you’re mixing these cultures?’ Everything we do, we let them know. As long as they know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. That for them, is okay. It will be a celebration of Southeast Asia.” Centered on her passion for fostering livelihood opportunities for the indigenous tribes in Mindanao, and putting a once forgotten region at the forefront of the local fashion industry— Nograles never forgets why she started.
Whether she’s conceiving of a spin on fashion pieces or a casual home design, Amina Alunan is undoubtedly a visionary.
“I really am passionate about anything that gets my creative juices flowing,” she candidly points out. With an innate eye for design and style, she carried on what was initially her mother’s manufacturing and exporting company, Aranaz. Crafting intricate handmade bags using local materials, Aranaz gave Filipinas a chance to proudly sport locally made accessories without foregoing a sense of luxury. The brand gained international recognition and praise. Years ago, Alunan watched her mother export the most gorgeous pieces overseas, later labelled and sold under American brands. “I knew they were made in the Philippines. I did see local materials, so that’s what started it, because at that time, no one here really cared about locally produced handbags especially straw handbags, it wasn’t something.” At present, Alunan hopes to expand Aranaz’s product categories by producing more lifestyle products, homeware, and eventually a clothing line to allow shoppers the
opportunity to embrace the absolute core of the brand. Celebrating leisure, Aranaz evokes a lifestyle of elegance and ease. Every design whisks you away even for just a moment. Moreover, as the founder of SoFa Design Institute and president of the Fashion & Design Council of the Philippines, Alunan hopes to aid in moving the Philippine fashion industry forward. “We want to open the eyes of the industry practitioners, the young, the aspiring, even the established, to see how we can be more globally competitive. It will increase productivity, livelihood, and economic impact. It’s our way to tell the Filipino story to the rest of the world.”
The Filipina is a woman of many cultures, traditions, and experiences, bearing an aesthetic that is not just effortless, but transcends all borders. Marga Nograles and Amina Alunan are two women who exemplify and cultivate such attributes, proudly showcasing how our homegrown brands are most definitely world-class.