Like any business that have been contemplating on going digital as part of their next phase, Amanda LuYm and Cacay Moras of jewelry brand All That Glitters had to move fast in setting up their online site sooner than planned—due to the pandemic. But how to do it mindfully?
“We were only halfway through building a site, and we wanted to continue but we were in a quandary for how to do it. Most importantly, how to do it in a meaningful fashion? I also kept seeing how women leaders were successfully handling the COVID-19 crisis around the world, and how they were getting this right,” shares LuYm.
Both women are also Cebuanas, and they’ve heard how their fellow makers, suppliers, exporters, and manufacturers were also having their fair share of challenges with cancelled orders and stopped productions. Both ladies knew that the next step was to push through with their digital platform.
This idea inspired them to put up a women-led online shopping site, focusing on those from the Visayan region. Hence the birth of Disenyo del Sur. “We are not just about collaborations. Some of our partners are suppliers for raw materials. We also work other makers who offer design or manufacturing expertise. Sometimes, we turn to each other for leads in terms of sourcing,” clarifies the ladies.
Leading the site is the brand All That Glitters (ATG), showcasing buildable jewelry that gives your purchases pieces new life. The past year has made us realized that functional and practical choices should lead our lifestyle. “The idea of buildable was always part of our story. We had the tops and drops in our mix and match pieces, but wanted something airier and more lyrical. So, I played with the idea of ovoids and elliptic shapes.” Amanda adds: “I felt that it was time for something completely different visually. The challenge was to create something light, airy and playful with many more options.” One can even come up with eight different looks with their Bubble Theory piece.
Other brands worth checking out are Padayon that are handwoven weaves by a women’s coop in Argao, Hablon sa Cebu. The two entrepreneurs discovered this group through Holicow’s Debbie Palao. “She is PADAYON’s Fairy Godmother,” says LuYm. Padayon features modern malongs made from deadstock fabrics. Expect more by January 2022 with more patterns and colorways. “Debbie consulted on the house-graduated stripe malong. These are specially woven for us and in limited quantities,” adds LuYm.
As much as how the malongs are multifunctional, Padayon also has other versatile pieces such as the sling/shopper bags. LuYm explains, “We were already playing with the idea of woven products before COVID but no real end product was in view. The pandemic pushed that evolution forward.”
As for Moras, a plant parent, she came up with another brand Potheads. “I was constantly searching online for hangers and holders. What I found was a lot of the same thing, so I asked Amanda to design some for me and it took off from there,” she explains. Pothead’s pieces are inspired from the flora and fauna set in mid-century design. “I wanted to get the plants in the air, so to speak. I wanted them closer to eye level.”
Both ladies also believed in taking care of oneself, and they thought of sharing a beauty secret Blank Canvas Beauty Oil. It’s a premium blend of essential oils that was created by Moras for family and friends. It’s highly recommended to use with face massages using a face roller, gua sha, or fingers. “I was really a fan and I felt that if we were serious as an e-commerce site, we needed a great self care product. It was just perfect that the family had this little potion that could do a lot so it was the perfect thing to share,” says Amanda. Made in small batches, the blend is a mix of sustainably sourced grape seed, apricot kernel oil, geranium, lavender, tea tree, clary sage, and frankincense oils.
Apart from these in-house brands, they also have partner brands such as Cheeky Chic by founder Patricia Mancao-Canton which offers utilitarian bag and mask organizers, Soapjam that has special soap sets that are made via cold-processing. Made with a blend of olive and coconut oils, cocoa butter, and fresh whole milk yogurt, these soaps are a hydrating and nourishing bath treat.
