Fashion designers championing local artisans take the spotlight at Sentro Artista

MANILA, Philippines – To celebrate International Women’s Day, Sentro Artista, the country’s trailblazing platform for Filipino creatives, focuses the spotlight on six local fashion designers who promote the use of indigenous products from March 7-10 at Arton Strip in Blue Ridge, Quezon City.

Dubbed “Wearable Weaves”, the art exhibit will feature six outstanding talents who have elevated their passion and creativity from humble beginnings to what are now formidable labels representing the best of Filipino heritage and culture.

The latest, four-day event by Sentro Artista will see the works of  Romae Chanice “Nice” Marquez of Hibla PH, Tina Navarro of Ilaya Couture, Kate Marvee Singson of Donata, Jojo Bragais, Niña Corpuz of Nina Inabel, Tin Santiago of KUERO Balur.

“Wearable Weaves” is expected to showcase the latest trends promoting the traditional yet timeless pieces of Filipina clothing like the “Terno”, “baro’t saya”, pieces created from local and handwoven fabrics, footwear and many more.

Marquez exposed herself with community immersions before leading Hibla PH. From working with farming communities, she has since collaborated with several weaving groups in the country to realize her goal to modernize looks and attire, preserving the authenticity of traditional weaves and supporting research. These efforts have resulted in iconic pieces that are accessible and affordable. 

Navarro is the force behind Ilaya Couture, which has garnered a solid following for the last 20 years with its iconic, trendy and flattering silhouettes. One of Navarro’s famous creations includes the Filipina Line, which gives a new appreciation of the “terno”.

Singson, on the other hand, is the brains behind Donata. Combining her creativity and her knack for business, she is a regular fixture in various prestigious events with her signature commitment to help sustain weavers from Negros.

Bragais is no stranger to the industry especially among those who love pageants. He has created a niche for himself as a maverick in creating uncompromising footwear that have been worn by the country’s beauty queens as they compete in international beauty pageants. A nurse by profession, Bragais, instead, followed his dream and passion in creating shoes that are edgy, stylish and of the highest quality.

Corpuz, who is more popularly known as a broadcast journalist, has created a niche for herself in the industry by creating pieces out of inabel. Inabel fabric is made of cotton which can be plain or patterned. Distinctly Ilocano in origin, Corpuz has given the iconic cloth an updated look and relevance through her designs, making it more accessible and practical.

Santiago is the designer and owner of KUERO Balur, which means “Leather House”. Santiago is making a name for KUERO Balur for its high-quality footwear which you can’t normally find in regular shoe stores. One of its trademark styles include the use of abaca or jute strings to produce unique and stylish shoes handcrafted in Candaba, Pampanga.

Sentro Artista is hoping to inspire more local artists to pursue, follow and turn into reality their dreams of creating their own mark in the fashion while sustaining local communities of artisans. At the same time, giving a nod to local materials that have been a part of the country’s DNA.

“These fashion mavens push forward the uniqueness, and distinct styles that were inspired by our heritage. By having all of them under one roof, patrons of these wearable art will have access to lovingly made apparel that were gathered from more than a dozen regions,” said Sentro Artista creative director Marjorie Ruiz.

Ruiz also expressed gratitude to the fashion designers for collaborating in the project.