Disenyo del Sur was founded out of a desire to connect, collaborate, co-create, and communicate a sense of community among women from the Visayas. The women behind Disenyo del Sur happen to be two of my dearest friends, Amanda LuYm and Cacay Moras. They are the same creative minds who founded the jewelry label All That Glitters (ATG).
These two women and the brands, makers, and collaborators of Disenyo del Sur are all born, made, and developed in the Visayan/Cebuano Region. Disenyo del Sur is by and of the South. Their website features various brands categorized by brand or by desire (clothing, self-care, bags, or jewelry and accessories).
Hey Shibori is a lifestyle brand that celebrates color, pattern and craft. Founder Aimil Gonzales-Sarmiento says, “This foray was born out of such a chaotic time during COVID lockdown. I needed to find the motivation to keep moving forward. My sister sparked this particular channel of Shibori hand-dyeing.” Hey Shibori offers colorful hand-dyed table napkins, linens, and beach wraps.
Plant hangers, holders, and stands from Potheads are accent pieces that offer a new approach for showcasing plants. The in-house brand by the founders of Disenyo del Sur created pieces with the same mindset and attention to detail as a fine jeweler. The idea, say its founders, is to highlight plants and blooms as the jewels that they are.
Another in-house brand they created is Blank Canvas, a wellness concept that works only with naturally sourced premium oils and essences. The Beauty Oil (which utilizes a proprietary blend of sustainably sourced grape seed oil, apricot kernel oil, geranium, lavender, tea tree, clary sage, and frankincense) was primarily developed by Cacay for close friends and family.
The hydrating and moisturizing benefits of this most unique blend later inspired them to launch Blank Canvas Beauty Oil as a small-batch wellness gem. For optimum results, use daily for face massages with a face roller or layer under makeup as a primer.
The latest ATG pieces take inspiration from the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Diana and their collection features moonstone, green agate, and Botswana agate. Every piece is also buildable, such as the Diana stackable bangles, detachable Isis earrings, and a stunning Malachite pendant that may be layered with other chains.
Amanda says, “There is more to these pieces of jewelry than just embellishment. They are like talismans or objects associated with time or memories that are more precious now at a time of uncertainty. They are pieces that use the good memories to get us to the future.”