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Watching her mother work on commissioned illustrations, Mandy Velasco discovered her passion for fashion at a very young age. Born to a free-thinker whose artistry played such a pivotal part in opening doors for creative possibilities, she gives credit to her mom for providing her with the tools she needed to develop her own talent. At home, papers, pencils, and glossies were a constant on her mom’s desk, and Mandy, a keen observer, learned about the fundamentals of human anatomy and proportions as she traced her hands through fashion pages and watched her mom sketch in action.
Now, Mandy Velasco is a full-fledged fashion designer, who has garnered more praise and admiration after winning the Samsung Designer of the Year award at the Mindanao-wide competition dubbed “Stellar: Rising Fashion Star”.
Getting recognized for her talent is a major feat for Mandy, simply because her foray into this industry is also a journey to knowing more about herself and learning to be comfortable in her own skin. It took a couple of alterations in college before she finally found what she really wanted to pursue in life. She had a choice to study in one the most popular and highly-respected design schools in Manila, but opted to return to Davao to be closer to her little bundle of joy.
“My daughter is my inspiration, and I was really bent on fulfilling my dreams with her by my side.” Yes, this young creative is also a proud mom, whose work ethic and dedication stem from her determination in providing a bright and promising future for her child.
Mandy says she started with minimalist cuts and designs. “For my thesis in school, I played around with a lot of whites, texture, and basic silhouettes. It was in that thesis presentation cum runway show that I first got recognized, as I was awarded the Best Thesis Collection.”
From there, she explored other styles without veering away from her intuitions. She springs from contemporary minimalist to care-free boho, and sometimes leans towards the sexy-savvy feel of a preppy or office look.
Asked if she has any particular preferences in terms of texture or materials, she says it’s always a love-hate relationship among all her choices. But, for her current collection, she utilized soft and stretch fabrics. “They’re difficult to work on, yet easy to wear.”
Expounding on the current challenges she faces, as with other designers, Mandy says, “To stay in this industry, you need a strong sense of creativity and artistic vision. Standing out as a designer means that work should not only be stylish and unique, but also functional and practical. That means our inclinations and aesthetics must not only look good on people, but also meet everyone’s basic needs. This industry, even with high end and luxury lines, is changing. We are leaning towards two levers for longer term and sustainable growth: creativity and purpose.”
Log on to @amandadavaoph and @amandamandalove on Instagram to view more of Mandy’s sample work. You may contact her for design services through 0995 450 8669 or email mandyvelascofd@yahoo.com.
Photos courtesy of Mandy Velasco.
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Story published on my newspaper column in Edge Davao.
