Greenbelt 5′s Filipino designers’ strip on the second floor has a new store on the block. Well, sort of. The curiously named store Religioso reopened in its new space at the same floor.
And if you’re still puzzled whether the name—Religioso means “religious” in the vernacular—is an attempt in fashion’s paradox as both being profound and irreverent, then you only need to get to know the creators behind it.
Interaksyon.com’s Lifestyle got down and talked to the two lovely sisters and partners in the business, Choc Religioso-Dayrit and Yvette Religioso-Ilagan about their stores and plans for the brand. There, mystery solved.
The brand started in 2005, as Choc was preparing for her wedding, her bridal entourage to be exact. The designer in her was flinching, and so she decided to create the wonderful dresses for her entourage. Afterwards that fateful walk down the aisle, Choc who had studied Fashion Design, started doing made to order dresses, even consigning for a friend in Jupiter Street. Preview magazine took notice of these one of a kind designs that Religioso was showcasing. So, an idea sparked between the two sisters, and with the support of Yvette, they opened their first store in Shangri-La Plaza.
Classic or Old
Now, back at Greenbelt 5, the brand carries exceptional pieces with a Filipinana twist to them—affordable yet classic pieces.
“With the competition, and with all the imported brands coming in, we wanted to offer something that is still not available in other stores that is why we thought of using Filipino materials,” Yvette begins.
There was no question about local products; after all they were exposed to the local fibers at a very young age. Their mother would order from neighboring barrios in their province of Laguna. However, their perception back then was different from what it is now. Yvette beginning to describe the Philippine fabric, “Dati pa, it’s too formal, it’s too—,” trying to find the proper words.
“Old!” Choc finishes. Yet, slowly, the sisters began to appreciate local fabric as they began sewing these on their designs.
Yvette says, “we wanted to promote that you can wear it for events also or formal wear. It doesn’t have to be that super Filipinana.” They found a way to curtail the formal and old effect of the fibres by mixing it with other cloths.
“Religioso kasi is classic,” Yvette shares. “But, it has a modern touch to it, it has a twist. We were known for details. We are still maintaining cotton, button down, and one of our favorites, the pique, which can be worn in several ways.”
New Perspectives
However, the sisters want to sidetrack the consumers’ attention away from their ready-to-wear collection, and hope that they can focus more on the other items that the store also offers.
“We really hope to make more gowns, more bridal wear, more brides (to come in),” says Yvette.
Unknown to many, Religioso caters to made-to-order dresses, and accommodates bridal gowns. This is another feature from their made to measure, and free alteration.
The brand started with brides, and it wants to grow with them. Unfortunately there are no bridal dresses in any mannequins and all they have in store are items used in photo shoots or pulled out and used in magazines.
“There are many clients who do not know that we do weddings. So we want to promote that,” says Yvette. “We basically don’t sell RTW wedding gowns, it’s made to order, kasi diba for us, Filipinas, you want it special pa din.”
Choc who does the designing and is anticipating to sit down with the bride says, that she usually asks the client to make a look book. “It depends on the clients and the bride,” she says. “from the look book, that’s where I design, it’s hard to impose what I like. It is a collaboration between the bride and the designer, what I think would look good on them.”
Well, whether you are going for made to order or picking up something off the rack, Religioso would certainly be one of the shops in Greenbelt that is worth your stop.
We can only expect “more exciting and new designs to come, Filipino fabrics for the Modern Filipina,” as Yvette puts it.
source: interaksyon.com
