Everything comes with a price to pay. For Carol de Leon’s massive success in her retail brands? It was sustainability–this led her to creating ANGKAN.
Related: 5 Local Designers Who Rework Clothing As A Response To Sustainability
It was 2015 and LA-based designer & Creative Director Carol de Leon was at the height of her footwear brands’ success. Shoe brands FLOGG and Blonde Ambition were distributed in top retailers like Nordstrom, Revolve and Bloomingdales. But despite the recognition and the demand, De Leon felt that something was lacking. “My products were doing well, and the market is insatiable; salesmen always want more, more designs that lead to more sales and more profit. Nobody was really looking at sustainability and social responsibility and I felt a great void in my heart and soul,” she shares.
After flying to the Philippines for a side trip and attending the Manila FAME Trade Show, De Leon felt that the world hadn’t seen enough of the talent of Philippine artisans just yet. She then collaborated with artisanal communities in Laguna and Davao for handmade footwear and bags respectively, then launched them in the USA and Italy. That’s how the brand ANGKAN came to be.
The label has already produced embroidered tops, dresses, energy cuffs, agimat necklaces and shoes all made by the Philippines’ indigenous communities. They’ve also teamed up with Save the Children Philippines, a global non- profit organization based in the UK dedicated to aiding children in need.
“Our perusal of Slow Fashion and working with artisans and indigenous communities in the Philippine Islands is part of our advocacy towards a Circular Economy, aimed at eliminating waste, providing livelihood, preserving traditions and instilling pride and sense of purpose not only for our team at Angkan, but for all of the people that we collaborate with.”
Angkan is just one of De Leon’s many growing ventures in the Philippines under her creative agency Cosmic Lotus that works closely with the Department of Trade & Industry and Design Center Philippines. “Through Cosmic Lotus the aim to design and build products and brands with intention to bring livelihood to local communities and keep traditional Philippine craftsmanship alive.”
This fashion feature on local designers is as seen on MEGA’s September issue now available in Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
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