Geta Collection: Fiona Flat Sandals

These flat sandals have a unique footbed  that really resembles wood, even the surface texture.  Together with my supplier, we tried techniques how we can achieve the wooden effect for the footbed. It took us a couple of weeks before we were able to achieve the perfect look using treated PVC soles.

This collection was inspired by the Japanese thong wooden clogs known as Geta in 2009.  I added prints on the “wooden footbed” resembling  Japanese block prints. 

Japanese Geta sandals, photo by Google.

These were produced in Liliw, Laguna but were never sold in Liliw's Gat Tayaw fair. 

At that time, with Kuya Noel and Kuya Hermie's help we developed several suppliers from Liliw, Binan and Gapan areas to supply our increasing demand for Hoc Yan’s (a company under the Unitop Group) Fiona footwear line through our advocacy of teaching correct footwear processing & manufacturing.

It really sold well. At 1,200 pairs per design as our minimum quantity which was more than what most of the big players are ordering from footwear manufacturers.

I made sure that the patterns were made only by the pattern maker that we endorse to make sure that fitting & construction will be close to ideal. Since most of the manufacturers in these areas are not applying scientific principles in creating their patterns which logically results to bad construction and fitting. 

I cannot vouch that all the shoes sold in the Gat Tayaw Fair in Liliw are well constructed, hence with good fitting. I will only vouch for the products that I had ordered & my team has overseen its production.

Hopefully I could redo this collection sometime soon in a more ideal factory setting & competent workers.

The Battle of the Flip-flops

Rainy days is starting, though it is still impossibly hot. But what better way to wear in both hot and rainy weather than a pair of flip-flops?

I started designing the Fiona flip-flops line back in 2008 right before I went to China to work for an Australian company. I was designing for Hoc Yan on a freelance basis, which allowed me to travel monthly from HK to Manila and back.

Fiona flip-flops was Hoc Yan’s best seller product, it had really soft & comfy EVA soles & rubber thong straps which made it ultra comfy, plus the price was so much cheaper for its superior quality compared to other local brands. But Fiona flip-flop’s best feature was our prints. 

As the Creative Director for Unitop, I guided my team well for the designs of Fiona flip-flops which has set some trends in the great print designs battle for the flip-flop’s footbed. Manila's craze for flip-flops was just beginning at the time I started the Fiona line, so I was able to anticipate and correctly predict market trends.  

Within months of coming back to Manila and finally joining Hoc Yan officially, flip-flops became the hottest item on the market shelves. It was a real gold rush. Great efforts were made to capture the attention of shoppers with the designs alone. Local brands scurried up to this gold mine and international brands joined in as well. New brands were coming out of nowhere. Even the banketas were filled with local or imitation flip-flops.

I remember, we used to have at least 3 shipments of 40 footer containers monthly from Fujian China just for the flip-flops alone, which would roughly contain 70,000 pairs per container. Although we also had other flip-flops brands such as Journey, Footspot and Snoopy.

Amusingly, at least for me, SM supermalls immediately caught up with this fever (it really wasn't a surprise, hello! this is a money-maker). The footwear section of SM department stores, had an immediate face-lift: The installation of the flip-flops wall! It was almost as if they had a magic wand in hand.

Uncannily enough, I called it "The Battle of the Flip-Flops".

From the ladies, men's and kids, rows and rows of rubber flip-flops for everyone to choose with pretty good exposure, presentation and a lot of floor area, which is a far cry from the past.

And for the first time ever, the Philippine shoppers actually saw boutiques dedicated just for flip-flops. And oh yes, billboards, too!

We got Ms. Christine Reyes as our endorser for the Fiona Footwear line and this was our billboard along EDSA right across from Mega Mall.

These are some of my earlier works and bestselling ones. 

"Culture Clash"

"Hearts"

"Midsummer Night's Dream"

"Angel"

"Ofelia"

"Silhouette" 

"Flower Power"

"Fly"

"Safari"

Have you worn a pair of Fiona or Footspot flip-flips, too? Let me know what you think. 

Cruise Collection: Sexy Summer Sandals

I designed this sophisticated collection of flat sandals for Carmina Villaroel, a local celebrity for her online footwear store, Muniz which sold fast that she repeated the orders only a few weeks after we delivered the items. 

Although she didn’t like to use the leather materials as per original samples due to the fact that this will increase the selling price of these sandals ceiling high and will understandably be difficult to sell to her market. 

Which was fine because I found great synthetic materials from the Marikina open market that I matched to produce these georgeousness. I also used a more formal type of outsole to make them elegant and not casual, though the sole made the sandals just a tad heavier, which is a slight trade off if you ask me.

This number is a real show stealer.  I personally have this both in gold and cobalt colors, there's actually three colors, the third is the gray and silver combi. 

It's been more than a year since I've been wearing my pairs and they're still intact. Even now, I still catch women staring at my feet whenever I wear them. Which makes me feel so smug and flaunt my sandals more. I know, naughty me! But that is exactly the essence of the ecstasy that we feel when we know that we're wearing shoes that are sexy!

While this pair seems to be so flat, don't let it deceive you. They're very comfy and can make your ankle really sexy because of the wide ankle strap, not for ladies with thick ankles, though.

My pattern maker, Cindy had quite a challenge when she engineered the patterns because this pattern type is basically a boot and this was only her second time she derived the master for a boot pattern since her intensive training was still on-going under the expertise of footwear technical consultant, Mr. Noel Box. 

This one has an ultimate summer feel to it, with the multicolored striped fabric contrasting with the aqua blue synthetic material. Admittedly there's a lot of color in this design, but I pulled it off beautifully :).

This is another nautical inspired number, also very sexy due to its ankle strap, making it an almost gladiator type of sandals.

What are your thoughts on these designs? I'd like to know.

Road Trips To Liliw & Hacienda Pisong Kape

As I was trying so hard to retrieve some of my lost files, (because I accidentally damaged my external drive that has all my stored files) I found this pic of Hacienda Pisong Kape, our favourite stop-over to stretch our legs from an early morning on-set of driving the Antipolo to Lukban road through the years of road trips along Rizal going to Liliw for some of our footwear production projects. This is also a favorite watering hole for cyclists & we’ve seen lots of them here. 

Hacienanda Pisong Kape is really just a humble roadside carenderia with its own charm, clean, peaceful & inexpensive where we have our usual combo of goto & tokwa’t baboy for breakfast.

One of the things that will catch your attention are the almost grayish-white tables & chairs due to scouring when cleaning. The name also caught me the very first time we ate there back in 2009, & the story behind it is that when a customer orders food, the coffee will then be given at a discounted rate of 1.00, hence the name. Just opposite this eatery is another roadside carenderia, we’ve eaten there many times, too & the food is good especially the Batangas goto. I Miss this place. 

I'm still trying to retrieve more pictures, once I have some more I'll update this post. Also next time I'm there, I'll try to encourage the owner to put up a Facebook account because people are actually tagging them, without their knowledge :).

Resort Collection: Summer Ballet Flats

Enjoy these flower-inspired flatties, which can easily be paired with jeans, shorts, mini skirts, jumpsuits, jumpshorts, dresses & a lot more!

These flower-inspired flatties made good contrast with the grass cover & its small yellow  flowers.  I did the product shoot at the Yellow Brick Road in Sta. Lucia because it has a  small garden, water fountain & interesting backdrops to use as well.  

We made our set up at one of the outdoor tables of Figaro Coffee shop while enjoying    food & great company.  Using only my Sony TX9 & I was assisted by Cindy & Mr. Noel Box. 

   

Celebrate Summer

This is a collection of sophisticated flat sandals in 2013 for Treadline’s summer look book to celebrate the summer months of either lounging in the pool or the beach in high style.

I designed these collection for a local brand Vedasto, the owner of whom is a cousin of Manels.

These sexy, elegant & comfortable sandals are made of luxurious cow & kid leather.  

You can definitely flaunt your sexy feet with these babies either on the poolside or on the beach.

For inquiries please feel free to leave me a message.

photos & layouts by Claimed.

My Grown-Up Barbie Dolls

Pink is a color  that attracts women across age and race, it’s not a question.

I was once asked during my final interview by the president of the company who sells a famous footwear brand for kids here in the Philippines, “What is the most popular girl’s color?” I smiled and arched my brows a little and replied “Pink?” He smiled and we became friends after as I drove his sales higher when I handled his product development department.

This is my version of my grown up Barbie doll, I think I don’t have to say anything else to explain the title of my article. We did this project back in 2010 for a high end client who was going to use it for a pageant, she ordered 30 pairs and I sold each pair for a high price considering the material is only synthetic.

I usually do my product shoots in the showroom, but I was so excited that I couldn’t wait. Right across from the factory is a vacant lot with weeds and concrete pipes (or whatever). I decided that I’ll make it as a backdrop for my new baby. I think that the texture of the concrete contrasted with the smooth pink patent beautifully, it turned out great! It makes you want to reach out and touch it, feel it and to own it. I know, I’m not the only one addicted to shoes, I know you’re out there ladies. 

I wasn’t able to keep a copy for myself of these platform pumps that I call My Grown Up Barbie Doll, but I still feel that same excitement when I look at these pictures.


photos & layouts by Claimed.