Maria Parsons: Modern elegance
MANILA, Philippines - Maria Parsons’ charm is in her silent sophistication. She does not shout privilege. She, in fact, conveys the radiance of simplicity — a lesson that she has learned early in life. Being the daughter of Patrick (an American-Filipino businessman) and Toni Parsons (a former model turned grand dame of Philippine floral design), Maria could have chosen to display her élan in the most flamboyant fashion. She did not.
Her everyday life is as simple as the flowers she adores from her estate. “I start my day by checking out my garden,” she confides. The vibrancy that Maria has is not something that she has learned in recent years, too. She has known the tranquility that nature brings way back from her childhood. “I have lived close to the sea where the tide provides calmness and the mud reminds me of thrilled memories,” she shares. In between her childhood nature trips, she has learned lessons from her parents, too. “On one hand, my dad is very logical so I got a lot of common sense from him,” she reveals. She would use this sense whenever she is faced with problems. Her dad is the son of Charles Parsons, a decorated veteran who helped Filipinos and Americans during the war.
“On the other hand, my mom has always been with her art,” she adds. Her creativity is innately a continuation of her mom’s genes.
Maria’s education has also honed her craft. Because she was exposed to education in Manila, Salt Lake City and Paris, she revels in the values that she got from these places. She also values her experiences from her stay in Hong Kong. “I got to be a learner of the values and the ethics of the people,” she recalls. The independence that she got from them empowered her, too. So when she was planning to return to Manila in 2003, she knew how to use her life lessons appropriately.
Life, however, took a different turn. Maria was diagnosed with stage 3 thyroid cancer before her 30th birthday. “Everything was on pause,” she recalls. “It was important for me to process everything while it was happening so I could understand what I was going through.” She had to fight.
Thankfully, Maria has bounced back. She devotes her time to her family and to her advocacy. “Dogs have always been part of my life so I knew that I can be a voice to my voiceless best friends,” she cheerfully shares. Believing that her dogs have been a strong part of her recovery, she volunteered for the Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA).
Currently, she has also been busy with her lifestyle concept store — Lanai. Conceptualized with her childhood friends, it combines home and lifestyle accessories, a flower shop, a go-to store for Filipino and foreign designer clothes, and a small café. “I am the floral component of Lanai,” she shares. Because Maria is very hands-on in the business, she makes it a point that she meets with her clients so they can collaborate in pegs and concepts.
Maria believes that style and aesthetics change so she advocates the fusion of modernity and simplicity. “I want my clients to understand that seeing one perfect bloom is enough of an impact. They do not have to overstress anything,” she shares. She also explained that her type of bongga is finding the best materials with quality. “Mother Nature is in itself perfect so there is no need to exaggerate what she has created,” she stresses.
Photography by MAU AGUASIN • Creative direction by Luis Espiritu Jr. • Makeup by Baba Parma • Hairstyling by RONNIE TUMAMAK • Fashion styling by TARA SUBALDO • Jewelry by Miladay Jewels • Handpainted dress by Idee and embroidered lace dress by Mich Araullo • Shot on location at the C LOUNGE of Conrad Manila
