If you pull up your favorite Internet search engine (not an ad, but mine’s Ecosia) and searched the words “fast fashion,” you’ll get headlines upon headlines on questioning its ethics and effect on the environment. “Fast fashion is destroying the planet,” reads headlines for New York Times, Esquire, Forbes and so on.
That Fast fashion can be harmful is no longer something controversial or new—if you’re a person who’s even tangentially interested in style and fashion, you should know this by now. But I think what’s less obvious is what to do after knowing that, what brands and shops to patronize aside from ukay-ukay stores. It’s especially hard when you want to shop local and support Filipino designers, but don’t know who to trust. Not to mention that during a pandemic, fashion doesn’t feel as essential anymore.
Launching tomorrow, July 24, The New Mood is a new site offering ready-to-wear pieces founded by designers Cathy Binag, Puey Quinones and Dong Ronquillo as a response to the current fashion climate.
“We want to foster the Filipino fashion community by helping designers continue their craft and expand their reach in this new way of living. The New Mood aims to showcase Filipino craftsmanship to more Filipinos here and around the world,” explained Ronquillo, who’s also the president of the platform. “We came up with a line that’s functional, classic, more like investment pieces and they are very anti-fast fashion,” added Dennis Lustico, New Mood creative director.
“All these pieces [both the initial pieces they’re debuting and the upcoming ones] are thoughtful buys for thoughtful living,” says Ronquillo, who also mentions that the site will be featuring both up-and-coming and veteran designers.
Jaggy Glarino, who is one of the first four designers who will be offering their pieces on the site, also explained to Preen.ph that the launch is an exercise in optimism. “For me, launching this brand at this time is in a way a conscious effort to remain optimistic, to fashionably thrive and live life to its fullest no matter the circumstance.” About the pieces that’ll be debuting, he says, “I want to create and capture the feeling of exhilaration and comfort that’s why I created my collection in cotton and in stretch fabric so you can wear these pieces at home or when you go out.”
Aside from Glarino, fashion stalwarts Ivarluski Aseron, Dennis Lustico and Lulu Tan-Gan will also be showing off their collections for the site launch, each collection highlighting the designer’s unique style, from Aseron’s structured and minimalist tops to Tan-Gan’s hand-dyed pieces and travel-friendly lace and knits.
Photos courtesy of The New Mood
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