Second Runner-up: OSANG — QUEEN OF THE ROAD

Designer: Janreyk Paler Mentor: Thian Rodriguez Maker: Dante Pascual What it is: Growing up, the jeepney was the primary source of income for Paler’s family. “Aside from my father being a jeepney driver, my mother used to be a barker,” he says. “The design is influenced by my mother, Osang, who embodies the color I chose for my work. Silver represents hope and genuineness, while black represents class in boldness. I combined the colors to show the character of my mother: being courageous, fierce and the symbol of a genuine person.”

Paler’s shoe is predominantly made out of steel “to represent how strong she is as a woman” — thin, lightweight metal sheets lined with leather, and chains swinging at the “heel.” (The designer says the shoes are actually heelless.) “This artwork is the product of a mother’s love.”