PHxMaArte partners with Manila Peninsula to showcase contemporary Filipino fashion
The PHx Fashion Group has partnered with the MaArte Fair to raise funds and awareness for the National Museum of the Philippines. From August 19 to 21, guests will get a chance to immerse themselves in decorative rooms with different narratives. The event takes place on the fifth floor up to the seventh of The Peninsula Manila.
The partnership aims to push contemporary fashion to the forefront while maintaining MaArte’s creative vision of celebrating the Filipino soul. PHxMaArte is taking over 10 rooms to showcase 23 brands representing today’s fashion landscape. This project features varied groups of emerging talents who aim to introduce the MaArte clientele to the next generation of fashion practitioners.
Staying in line with the brand's mission, the PHx Fashion Group has collaborated with SoFA Design Institute, iAcademy and the fashion design department of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Selected graduates will get a firsthand experience of exhibiting their collections to the market face-to-face for everyone to admire.
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Room 501: Brands & Designers
Alexie
Alexie is known for sophisticated wearable art, ranging from embellished footwear to hand-painted and embroidered clothing. Any piece from the brand will definitely make people stop and stare.
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Basic Movement
Basic Movement is an experimental retail platform that creates heightened experiences through product design and collaborative projects. For this year’s PHxMaArte fair, the brand will debut Polo Redux, a collaboration with Isabel Santos, Chaiseng and Antonina. The collection brings on a variation of casual polo shirts, through the eyes of Filipino creatives.
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Feanne
Feanne is a surface designer specializing in detailed illustrated pattern prints for fabrics and wallpaper. Her art features stylized tropical flora and fauna. She also has a line of silk scarves and reversible kimonos that people have been gushing over since 2015.
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Land of Nod
Land of Nod is a brand for individuals who seek comfort and style. It’s loungewear suitable for those who want to unwind while wearing a dollop of creativity. Thanks to them, we can attend Zoom meetings in pajamas without question.
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Room 501: Fashion Schools Selection
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde: CLIO DL by Clio de Leon
Specializing in womenswear, CLIO DL clothing makes women feel empowered through feminine details with masculine cuts. From ready-to-wear items to custom-made fits, it’s definitely a fan favorite for those who enjoy minimalist silhouettes with artistic prints.
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iAcademy – Kill Joy Studios Eugene Malabad
Creative Director and founder Eugene Malabad took inspiration from his daily commute to create his graduate collection, ROTONDA. Malabad incorporates details from jeepneys, trains and telephone lines into the embellishments and silhouettes of his clothes. The colors and accessories represent the bustling energy of people in the streets. How cool is that?
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SoFA Institute – Le Ngok by Jiale Zhang
Le Ngok pushes the boundaries of experimental design through mixed media and innovative techniques. Each of her designs brings a sensorial experience, allowing the wearer to express themselves in unique statement pieces. Le Ngok takes us on an immersive journey of the highs and lows of designer Carla Zhang.
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Room 503-519: PHx Designer Rooms
Room 503:
Mich Dulce
Designer Mich Dulce creates contemporary Filipino practices combined with traditional European millinery techniques. Dulce’s Assemblage brings together a curated ensemble of products, revisiting past pieces and manufacturing items most sustainably.
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Viña Romero
Viña Romero designs for the quietly confident who bloom in simplicity. With versatile pieces you can dress up or down, Romero offers styles for all ages and physiques. It’s for individuals who are simply themselves without the distractions of other voices in fashion.
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Room 505:
Bagasáo
Bagasáo is driven by the desire to present crafted goods with earth tones and an ethical production chain. The brand sees clothing as second skin—as a vital component of layered personality catered to comfort the wearer for everyday use.
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Café City Club
Café City Club is a Filipino brand inspired by the vibrancy of Metro Manila. Their garments and objects are highly influenced by the current culture of the megacity and those who wander in it.
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Room 507:
HA.MÜ
Founded by Abraham Guardian and Mamuro Oki, HA.MÜ represents rebellion, creativity and freedom of expression, fused with the idea of self-love and confidence. The brand is influenced by contemporary art and androgynous clothing.
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Tropik Beatnik
A lifestyle accessories brand that was born to create fun handmade pieces that exude quality and style. Crafted by women from all walks of life, the brand uses upcycled materials to recreate quirky unconventional pieces to represent the fun-loving spirit of the Filipino.
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509:
Kelvin Morales
Kelvin Morales prides himself in establishing an eponymous brand that supports local artisans through local fabrics while maintaining a balance between modern and traditional techniques. He offers high-quality garments that dispute today’s standards of beauty.
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Neil Felipp
Neil Felipp integrates detailed metal craftsmanship driven by ethereal elegance. Whether it would be jewelry, bags or home accessories, Felipp knows how to create artisanal conversation starters.
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Room 511:
Jude Macasinag
Currently based in Paris, Macasinag takes inspiration from his heritage and daily contemporary culture. Combining French atelier techniques with Filipino construction displays a high level of visual DNA and design identity.
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Room 513:
JMakitalo
Designer Joyce Makitalo works with third-generation goldsmiths and local artisan communities to craft sculptural objects to be worn as jewelry. Her pieces have old-world, futuristic appeal inspired by ancient symbolism and religious paraphernalia. Raw, irregular and hand-cut, her work playfully translates into unique high-vibrational jewelry.
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Room 515:
Nicolò
With a focus on menswear, Nicolo's goal is to create clothes that are thoughtfully designed and carefully made to make their wearers feel good. It’s certainly a fan favorite for modern attire amongst his male audience.
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Randolf
Lessening waste since day one, Randolf is a contemporary fashion label that pokes fun at the obsessive pop culture founded by designer RJ Santos. Santos nails the Gen Z aesthetic bridged with past heritage through fabric scraps.
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Room 517:
Jill Lao
A womenswear brand celebrating empowerment and freedom through elevated classics. Created with busy women in mind, the label exudes timeless and easy elegance for the modern Filipino woman.
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Lilianna Manahan
Manahan is a designer that celebrates craftsmanship through her own artistic hand. Whether in the form of accessories or wearable art, each piece reminds you of the little wonders found in your daily routine.
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Room 519:
Ec
Designers Carlos del Prado and Eustacia Rodriguez created this unisex label to be worn regardless of the season. The designers made their name for their use of simple silhouettes and textiles for everyday functionality using deadstock fabrics.
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Eustacia
Built around movement and unusual pairings Eustacia Rodriguez creates custom pieces you’d want to keep forever. Rodriguez ensures that the production of the garments is fun for her and the client, making a memorable experience last through nostalgic clothing.
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This year’s PHxMaArte event has a strong batch of designers, and the energy is unmatched. From headwear to jewelry and kimonos to Filipinianas, there’s so much to see! The creativity is endless, and we can’t wait to take a look at what’s in store.
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Words Marga Sibug
Art Pis Trinidad
