Would you like some Filipino designer FasHion WitH your pizza?
Filipino fashion designers Twinkle Ferraren and Tipay Caintic are bringing their signature fusion of street with traditional and ethnic from their artisan and tribal collaborators throughout the Philippine islands to all over the world, and now, to literally where the party is, in Poblacion, Makati.
Phl Designers’ late-afternoon-to-latenight fashion pop-up inside a food and lifestyle compound The Social on Ebro is a fitting addition to the independent and experimental energy of the gentrified neighborhood; surrounded predominantly by food and drink concepts, independent local and ethical fashion are right in the middle of the action.
In the face of today’s e-commerce shift, Twinkle and Tipay are braving the demands of a brick-and-mortar space to better articulate the narratives of their creations. Presenting their creations abroad (Tipay has shown in London Fashion Week) and responding to the way customers would interact with their pieces, they were convinced that this is a necessary platform.
“Internet and social media are good, but it is still a different experience when you see the clothes up close and listen and feel the material stories,” Twinkle explains. “For example, my pieces use natural and indigenous textiles.” Her constant choices for fabric are piña, 100 percent Philippine silk, piña silk, piña-abaca-cotton-silk, a blend of abaca-cotton from Davao that she made, and weaves from Ilocos. Her accessories integrate abaca fibers, coco and natural beads and T’boli brass.
Twinkle’s flowy silhouettes contrast with Tipay’s more sculptural pieces, yet are complementary in their organic aesthetic. They are the first of a series of independent designer pop-ups in the months to come.
“Both our brands have some art base in it. Tipay draws her prints and executes them in embroidery or digital. It’s the same with me and my other collections,”
Phl Designers is a curated peek into the idiosyncratic local aesthetic in the heart of Poblacion.
Twinkle notes.
Twinkle is inspired by her art dreams and her heritage journeys, research and encounters with artisans and tribes from around the Philippine Islands, creating ethically- and ethnically-sourced and sustainably-made clothing, textiles and accessories that take the wearer from day to night.
Tipay describes her line as “cheeky designer clothing ethically made with love in the Philippines.” She uses bold prints, 3D knits, up-cycled and hand-woven local fabrics, and in-house embroidery fused with modern takes on classic silhouettes.
Upcoming featured designers are Stephverano, Orias Essentials, Bryan Peralta, Randolf and Harvic Dominguez.
Phl Designers is located inside The Social on Ebro, 5770 Ebro St., Poblacion Makati. It’s open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 3 to 11 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 3 to 10 p.m. Follow @PHLdesigners on Instagram and Facebook for updates, events, and exclusive sales.