MY project

I'm hoping to raise at least £1,000 to put toward the supplies and materials I'll need to make my graduate collection, which combines Filipino culture with 90s hip hop culture. This initiative will support me on my journey to define my own Filipino/British identity.

Who am I?

I am a final-year BA Fashion student specialising in Womenswear design who is eager to share Filipino culture with others and find a unique way to express my identity as a Filipino immigrant in the United Kingdom.

my story

For my project, I want to create a collection that delves into my personal history as a Filipino immigrant in the UK. Because my family moved to England when I was two years old, I never had the opportunity to reconnect with my Filipino heritage. My collection arises from my search for a distinctive way to express my Filipino identity. 

Growing up in the UK, I was heavily influenced by streetwear silhouettes and music references, particularly 90s hip-hop and R&B. I hope to create a modern revival of traditional Filipino women's dress known in the Philippines as the "Maria Clara" by combining traditional Filipino dress fabrication and construction techniques, including its most prominent feature, the pleated "butterfly sleeve," with casual streetwear silhouettes of 90s hip-hop. 

I want to use my collection to highlight the richness and history of Filipino culture. With donations, I can buy high-quality materials and sewing equipment to finish my project to the highest degree while staying within my budget and maintain them to build my brand when I graduate from university.

Where will the money go?

A list of the expenses required to carry out the project is shown below:

• Sewing machine and overlocker: £510
• Fabrics/Trims: £500
• Photoshoot: £256
• Runway show: £100
• Adobe programme for 1 year: £195