Among the over 70 exhibitors of 2018 ArteFino, here are some eye-catchers.
Lokal Home+Art+Fashion
The mother-and-son duo behind Lokal Home+Art+Fashion sells handpainted home furnishings—wing chairs, lamps and stools as well as bags and denim jackets.
Connie Macatuno and her 15-year-old son, Caxantino, have been collaborating since he was 6.
“He draws and paints about our everyday experiences. I curate, paint and then translate his illustrations into artwear and functional art for the home,” Macatuno said.
They will sell their denim jackets and button-down shirts for men at The Barracks, ArteFino’s men’s section.
Andrea Lopa
LOOK of Style Awards finalist Andrea Lopa makes sure that each piece she creates has “a function for the wearer and a story to tell.”
Last year, she worked on a repurposing and upcycling project using scrap denim called The D Series. She moves forward this year with D Series (2.0) for ArteFino, reworking discarded denims and off-cut fabrics into new, adaptable and wearable pieces.
There will be gender-neutral, one-size kimonos with raw edges and visible markings.
Christiana Manila
Online store Christiana Manila will sell the free-size women’s apparel it is known for.
They are experimenting with other sizing options, but will continue to sell clothes that “bring a level of modernity to traditional Filipino textures and techniques,” said brand manager Kyla Tinio.
Linea Etnika
The two-year-old brand Linea Etnika started out with apparel and has expanded to include leather shoes and carabao horn jewelry. “Our main product line is still apparel decorated with handloom weaves,” said founder Looie Lobregat. “The Yakan weaves are a staple since I work closely with the Yakan Weaving Village in Zamboanga City where my family is from.”
Its Maria Clara terno top is named after Lobregat’s grandmother (Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat), a culture advocate who wore the terno daily. “Lola Caling was a pioneer in making weaves mainstream.”
Other pieces are a beaded top embellished with laser-cut flowers, a cape of Tausug weave with Yakan fabric-covered buttons, and a Loren jacket named after Sen. Loren Legarda.
Pinka Winka
Launched only last December, Pinka Winka’s collection of hand-embellished jackets, vests and jumpers clicked with customers who appreciated the details.
“Many of our customers, like me, want something more than what we all see in the malls or online,” said the brand’s Cecilia Davila. “Pinka Winka offers something different—wearing this brand means what you have is one of a kind. Our designs are innovative, tasteful and feminine in a playful way.”
Jamaica
A longtime producer and exporter of decorative home accessories, Jamaica Markets Corp. is joining a local fair for the first time.
For decades, it supplied such US brands as Ethan Allen, Ralph Lauren, Williams Sonoma Home and Kate Spade with items made of organic and recyclable materials (sugarcane stalks, capiz shells, and stone and shell laminates).
Laurie Boquiren, its president and CEO, said they joined this year’s fair because they wanted to “share the beauty of finely crafted home decor and accents with my fellow Filipinos without burning a deep hole in their pockets.”
The merchandise mix will include brass-handle trays with colorful ikat fabric, raffia trays and boxes with brass hardware, and hand-forged aluminum coral-style bowls finished in gold leaf.
“I started my business 22 years ago with a very strong support system from my woman employees and workers…. They are always thinking of getting better and achieving more to provide for their families.”
Whisk Designs
Whisk Designs was started several years ago by former beauty editor Vicky Tensuan and consisted originally of personalized stationery and other paper products.
Her handpainted designs feature China blues, and tropical flora and fauna. For ArteFino, she will show a selection of trays, fabric catchalls and personalized pillowcases.
“Paper products have always been the bestsellers, followed by ceramics and other home products,” Tensuan said.