NOWADAYS, people are living in a world centered around technology. In the modern day, there’s nothing you can’t do thanks to new devices and gadgets.
One such advancement that’s come from technology is the ability to buy clothes from the comfort of your own home, as seen in websites like Shopee, Shein, Lazada, or wherever else.
Something that seems to have become lost, though? The personal touch one can only find in handmade clothing.
There’s nothing wrong with buying from fast fashion. It’s cheap and it’s accessible. But if you have an individuality complex, there are times when you don’t want to wear something that you know thousands of other people are wearing, too.
Thankfully, yet another good thing that’s been brought about by technology is how easy it’s made for people to share their talents online – and one such talent is the art of handmade clothing. Simply by tapping on Instagram, you open yourself up to a number of local creators, all selling beautiful clothing.
Here, you get something unique – something just for you, because you know that only you can rock it.
If you’re looking to build your closet with custom pieces, here are a few shops on Instagram that republicasia recommends that are a perfect place to start.
- The Future Is You
24-year-old Charisse Fronteras initially thought up The Future is You after losing her job right after graduation. At a loss about what to do, she started scrolling Instagram one day, and found herself inspired by the people she saw selling clothes online.
Given that she’s always been passionate about fashion, she immediately thought: why not do the same?
The Future is You has been up and running since 2020. The prices of its pieces range from P4,000 to P7,000 for clothing sets, and P2,000 to P3,000 for reversible corsets.
Fronteras emphasizes the importance of pricing her items fairly in her shop, reflecting both the effort and creativity she puts into each piece she makes.
Initially starting off by selling thrifted clothing, she quickly moved on to selling items like reversible corsets, tops, and co-ords, which have been worn by Nadine Lustre, Mimiyuuuh, Rei Germar, and many other celebrities of note.
“We’re always looking to keep things fresh and interesting for our customers,” Fronteras said.
“We like to infuse creativity into our offerings, often having themes [to] keep things exciting – and we’re not stopping there. Currently, we’re expanding our range to include a variety of tops and bottoms, along with accessories like neckties and belts,” she added.
For Fronteras, The Future is You is a shop that embodies daring individuality, encouraging people to stand out in the best way possible. Here, she transforms thrifted clothing into new pieces, reassuring customers that they’ll never find a duplicate of any of their items.
“In essence, it’s a place where fashion becomes art,” she noted.
- Ugly Petal
Yes, there are a number of crochet artists all over the internet, but we promise you that 27-year-old Beth Celeste of Ugly Petal is something else entirely.
Celeste shared that she’s always loved crocheted pieces, and has dreamt for a long time to make them her own, though in the past she’s never had the time and patience to do so.
But during the pandemic, she was able to use her time in isolation and turn it into something fruitful; soon enough, numerous sleepless nights were spent on learning how to crochet. She soon felt everything else fall into place after that.
“I loved how fulfilling it was; it felt like I was painting or drawing, but through a whole different medium,” she shared. “I love the idea of being able to make art pieces that are accessible to people.”
She released her first batch of hats in 2021 and has been widening her horizons for her so-called “wearable sculptures” ever since.
In her shop, Celeste sells a variety of colorful hats, headbands, and sling bags in an assortment of creative designs. She said that in her creative process, the main theme that she often focuses on is color; all the patterns that she puts together are based purely on intuition – on whatever feels right in the given moment.
Her prices range from P2,000 to P2,650 for each of her original, handmade designs.
She has also released merchandise for her brand; those who want to take a step further in supporting Ugly Petal can get a shirt or a keychain from the shop, too.
- Anmade PH
Looking for something that gives off coquette, Lana Del-ray core vibes? Anmade PH, created by 21-year-old student Ana Marie Ignacio Pante, is the perfect place for you.
Though Pante started with just selling handmade bags on Instagram, her collection quickly grew to include tops, co-ords, hats, wallets, and dresses, as well. Anmade PH celebrated its first birthday last June and is looking forward to more years to come.
Pante’s pieces are made from thrifted materials; she takes old clothing and bedsheets, using them to bring new life to her creations. Her process begins with finding fabrics that she feels fit her vision, and then combining them and cutting them up to fit her desired design.
“Sometimes I go a little extra, like adding more stuff on a single piece that will surely look good when finished,” she said.
She has been enjoying creating something new out of old fabrics.
“Reworking is a fun process, [and] you will not feel like you’re working at all. You’ll just notice yourself enjoying – and confused – during the whole process,” she said.
This is the main purpose of her shop, as stated in Anmade PH’s Instagram description: to bring fabrics back to slay.
The price of her items ranges from P250 up to P1,500, depending on the amount of work she’s put into a piece.
- With My Sister
If you’re hoping to rock the grungy, monochromatic look, With My Sister is your best bet.
This shop was created by 23-year-old designer Alea Montoya, originally as a product of the pandemic. She brainstormed this shop with her sister, Nieves, and It’s been going strong ever since.
“We were a few months into the lockdown, and with the time available, we had a handful of ideas we wanted to execute,” she shared.
All of Montoya’s items go through a rigorous process of numerous sketches and idea variations, which take several days before she starts to cut and sew her pieces together.
With My Sister features many reconstructed hats, tops, and even bags. Many of their items are priced at P1, 000 and up; they post new items each week, and also accept custom orders through their Instagram DMs.
Montoya recommends the Mastiff hats to anyone unsure of what to purchase first.
When asked how she would describe her store, she cited the review of a friend, who sees her work as pieces that have been borrowed, all sewn together – akin to something of Mary Shelley’s iconic monster in Frankenstein.
- Dolly Kaye Shop
32-year-old Kaye Romero, the owner of the Dolly Kaye Shop, has been making beautiful Disney princess-esque dresses since 2014.
At her shop, she sells an abundance of dresses, as well as skirts, tops, and ribbons. Her dresses cost a minimum of P1, 800, while her tops and skirts are at P850, and her ribbons are at P100.
“I get inspiration from current trends, and when I find something that I do like to make, I get resources and start thinking how will I be able to make it,” she said, explaining her process.
Romero is also an artist who sells cute designs of animals and anime-inspired art. If you’ve been to Stickercon or Komiket any time in the last few years, you’re sure to have seen her Pompompurin-coded set-up.
Her artistic touch definitely shines in the clothes that she makes; from simple baby doll dresses to complicated co-ords, it seems that there’s little this seamstress can’t do.
They’re perfect for when you want to fulfill your childhood dreams of becoming a fairy princess – sans prince, of course.
“These are the things that make me happy,” she said, referring to the items that she sells.
“I hope that [they] will bring happiness to others, too.”
