Paper swimwear at Manila F.A.M.E. International

Oct. 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Testing the waters in the ever-changing currents of fashion can make or break aspiring designers - either they succeed and catch the wind in their sails or else see their dreams swept up and lost to sea. For intrepid swimsuit designer Twinkle Ferraren, her unconventional techniques coupled with her quirky use of indigenous materials have enabled her to ride the waves and define her as a shining star within the many constellations of fashion design.

Under the designer brand label Twinkle Ferraren, Twinkle produces a range of island/resort/swim wear, fusing inspirations from nature into prints, patterns, and colors onto clothing by mixing different craft skills like hand-painting, beadwork, embroidery, appliqué and silk-screening. It was Twinkle's close association with couturier and environment advocate Dita Sandico-Ong, famed for her trendsetting work on Philippine weaving styles and homegrown fabrics and with whom Twinkle has worked with in the use of banana fiber as well as traditional weaves like the Mangyan from Mindoro, that molded Twinkle's own philosophy in promoting the diverse weaves and wide range of indigenous materials in the Philippines when she launched her own resort line in the summer of 2005.

She has since experimented with different textiles and components into her creations, and for the past few years has also ventured into paper-art clothing. She chanced upon the piña (pineapple)-shifu weave - an ancient Japanese paper weaving technique (shifu) cross-cultured with Philippine piña weaving, which she has transformed into swimwear, jackets, pants, hats, bags, scarves and other fashion complements that are sure to sing of summer playfulness regardless of the time of year.

“Paper has always fascinated me," shares Twinkle. "Everything starts when you write things down, they start on paper... and the idea of working with paper was exciting. It's conception right at the very core of creation – sort of like making something out of the canvas itself before even painting on it.”

Brought into the Philippines by internationally-acclaimed Japanese papermaker and book artist Asao Shimura, shifu is typically used for Japanese walls and home decorative pieces. Through it, Twinkle saw an opportunity to integrate the weaves into her fashion and has tied up with MASA Ecological Development Inc., a Japanese company that uses Philippine fiber waste and natural materials into paper-making, to provide the paper.

Aside from its ecological bent, Twinkle says that many communities and livelihoods are also sustained from the extensive process of shifu-making. "The paper makers in Tagaytay employed by Masa Eco, as well as the pineapple weavers in Aklan and the communities in Benguet for paper rolling, [all benefit from shifu]."  

"[Working with shifu] gives a more organic and early feel to an otherwise functional/sporty garment, plus you know that the swimwear you're wearing is original and made in the Philippines... and that you're helping our local textile industry. It's also showing and introducing the concept of "slow fashion" - wherein we go back to the basics and using natural resources in a non-abusive way (handweaving, paper-making techniques), therefore we learn to respect the process of making the fabric and the garment."  



This October, Twinkle will showcase her shifu-woven island-wear creations that evoke all the vibrance and fun of living in the good ol' islands in the upcoming 52nd Manila F.A.M.E. International, Asia's second longest-running trade fair as well as the country's premier event for design-driven export pieces.

The collection will consist of swimsuits, coverups, bags, shawls, sarongs, caps and other summer accessories, with a recurring play on circular knitted-links for the swimsuits. This is the third time that Twinkle has joined the show since 2009.

"Ever since I could remember I was always attending Manila F.A.M.E.," she recalls. "My mom used to bring me when I was young and we went religiously throughout the years... it was this show that opened up my eyes to the wonders of our Philippine products - the designs, the materials, and the process."

"By joining F.A.M.E., I realized my potential in the global market, and that I have a lot of good and unique designs and products. I also met some buyers from countries like Japan, the US, Europe, and Australia, who are interested in bringing in the products to their countries," she adds.

Catch more of Twinkle's funky organic creations when you visit Manila F.A.M.E. on October 18-21 at three venues, namely: the World Trade Center Manila, the World Trade Center Pavilion, and the Philippine Trade Training Center. The bi-annual trade show is led by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

For more information, log on to www.manilafame.com.

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The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) is an export promotions arm of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry.