AWIT NG MANANAHI

Designer: Michael Joseph Bawar Mentor: Gerome Sta. Maria Maker: Roweliza What it is: “A love letter to the fashion and design industry,” says Bawar. “Named after a popular kundiman or traditional Filipino love song by National Artist for Music Levi Celerio, it features a base inspired by the lowly bakya, with heels resembling thread spools made of repurposed lawaan and santol wood.”

The shoe upper is an assemblage of fabric scraps and excess materials, diminishing its carbon footprint and impact on the environment. “It also represents the diversity of products in the design environment industry,” adds Bawar. “Lace represents gowns, denim represents jeans, and faux leather materials represent shoes and handbags. Materials such as pins, needle, thread and tape measure were also incorporated into the piece, highlighting the tools of the trade while at the same time giving it a whimsical, trompe l’oeil feel.”