Celebrating color & craftsmanship
New York-based Carmina de Dios recently unveiled her Kulay-doscope hat collection at Idée Clothing Store in Makati City. The collection, which consisted of 15 hats exclusively designed for Idée Clothing Store, was quickly sold out.
The Kulay-doscope hat collection is made of Panama straw and velour felt hats designed, hand-blocked and finished in New York City.
Carmina moved to New York in 1995 to study Interior Design at Parsons School of Design. She pursued courses in millinery, sewing, draping techniques, fashion and costume design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is currently an assistant to the costume designer at the New York Theatre Ballet.
Carmina said, “I love creating by hand, which is really the essence of being an artisan. To create is also to transform and this truly inspires me. So, it is really the creative and transformative properties of designing that make this process special for me. Aside from designing hats, I also design and fabricate costumes. For me, a hat serves as the figurative and literal crowning glory that makes costumes, or basically any attire, complete. Hats have the ability to strengthen and completed one’s personal statement. And of course, creating my own lines enables me to bring my design ideas to life and touch lives.” (Idée Clothing Store is located at 2263 Lapanday Center, Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.)