IN EVERY STITCH
While only being relatively new to the industry, Royanne creates breathtaking pieces that are marked by exquisite balance and restraint.
It started with a love for vintage clothing, a fashionable teenager, and a persistent hobby. When Royanne Diomampo-lee immersed herself into what would be her future business (though she had no idea at the time), she was simply enjoying altering pieces to better suit her taste. As if something out of a movie, her hidden talent soon gained its own audience. Royanne opened her very first online shop, Fabrichild, and began to sell altered vintage clothing to her audience. “Being a full-time mother, i just have this business on the side and doing all the work by myself. I would usually alter vintage clothing during the day and then answer online inquiries at night, it never felt like work because I was doing the thing that I loved,” she said.
While her newfound business kept her busy, and the growing number of buyers never failed to support her, it didn’t take long before new waves of customers requested for completely custom-designed pieces. So from Fabrichild, Royanne set on to open Royanne Camilla Couture. She leaped from vintage clothing to RTW, rental and custom-made formal wear, slowly falling in love with lace and tulle.
“My favorite materials would be laces and tulles. The Royanne Camillia brand must radiate with femininity and romanticism, It’s always my objective to strike an emotional cord with our gowns.
And apart from well-constructed and good-fitting gowns, we focus on the overall composition of design elements to create a balanced soft and delicate look.”
Even with a portfolio of diverse but equally enchanting pieces, Royanne has always made it a point to continuously challenge herself. She shares: “It has been, and still is, a continuous evolution for me and
my atelier, especially as we develop and explore new techniques and new materials so does my design and my creations. I’d like to think that I can always push more and propose new things to my clients, and if people were to look at my portfolio as a whole, they’d find that my designs change over the years but the essence remains intact and is recognizable.”
Royanne Camilla Couture has certainly stayed true to its word, producing stunning gowns that are just as breathtaking when appreciated from afar as they are when you notice the intricate details and beading. At a glance, it’s easy to understand that Royanne isn’t afraid to try daring patterns, but has the talent to make them look ethereal and alluring.
Her years of experience could be credited for that, but her work isn’t just a self-involved process. She explains that it’s more of a collaboration between her and her clientele. It’s the trust and rapport that she builds with them that helps her transition from a designer to a friend, when needed, especially in terms of flattering designs or a look she believes her client would love.
Having been in the industry for quite a while, Royanne has seen how the tastes and demands of brides-to-be have evolved. Gone are the days of custom-made gowns that are to collect dust in the corner of a cabinet after the wedding. Royanne enlightens us about how the modern bride thinks: “Some people really do prefer to rent rather than to avail of bespoke services. I think it’s not an exaggeration to say that a lot of women do not wish to wear the same outfit twice on important events. And for them renting is the cost effective way compared to purchasing off-the-rack or commissioning a custom gown. I think this is where our rental line appeals to a lot of our rental line clients, when a woman can choose from our collection of in-house made gowns that don’t really look like rentals but designer-made pieces.”
It’s the kind of service and dedication she puts into each piece she creates that’s given her much-deserved recognition as a designer. More than her vision, it’s the time she makes and the effort she brings to communicate with brides-to-be—or women looking for formal wear with the perfect fit—that makes her a joy to work with. A decade into the world of textiles, tulles, and talent, Royanne’s story shows that, although success doesn’t happen in a single stitch, each stitch made towards it can be sewn with love.