Amina Aranaz-Alunan on Elle's sartorial offerings

CEBU, Philippines - Bag designer and fashion school director Amina Aranaz-Alunan has been immersed in the industry for years and counting. But can you guess from whom she learns the most about fashion and dressing up?

The style icon and chic mother says that one of the best joys about motherhood is rediscovering the point and purpose of fashion-from no less than her kids. "From the point of view of my children, who, at their young and innocent ages, have no definitive ideas yet about fashion, I realize that in its basic sense, fashion is who you are," Amina shares.

She reveals that she buys her children's clothes at ELLE because the brand has everything that suits their different tastes and personalities. "My eldest, Lucas, is a very active boy who enjoys outdoor play and the arts. My only daughter, Helena, is outgoing but also loves playing dress up. And my baby Diego is very sweet and sociable, who loves his afternoon strolls around our neighborhood," says Amina.

Upon getting to know the varying personalities and hobbies of her children, Amina realizes that this is where their fashion consciousness begins. "Even at this very early point of their lives, I can already see that their preferences are very much dictated by their strong personal interests," Amina observes.

For instance, Lucas' love for physical activity is balanced out by his fascination for the arts. "Usually, boys who love the outdoors dress in a very carefree, laid back manner, but while Lucas prefers clothes that are considerably hip, he likes his outfits put together," Amina recalls. "I think it's because he likes art, which means that he is visually appeased by things being matched in a certain way." Amina shares that when shopping at ELLE, Lucas picks his clothes himself-crew neck tops and shorts for casual outfits, and a long-sleeved button down and slacks for dressier occasions are his favorites.

Meanwhile, Helena, who is only two years old, already vocalizes what she wants. "The girly girl in her loves ELLE's selection of long, feminine dresses and ballet skirts!" Amina says. "And because Helena is adventurous, I can sense that she also enjoys experimenting with accessories, like necklaces and hand bags."

Diego, meanwhile, is too young to choose his clothes but Amina is just as excited for him to express more of his character. "I know that as my children all grow up, so will their fashion dictations," Amina shares. "I look forward to that, but right now, I'm just happy finding out more and more about their unique personal preferences."

In fact, while she notices that her children have begun dressing like her and her husband, Amina doesn't want to fully impose her personal fashion choices on them. "After all, fashion, as I've said, is a reflection of who you are. So there's no point forcing them to wear what they don't like," says Amina on her children's style. But so far, Amina has never had a problem finding clothes for each of them, thanks to ELLE's wide range of fashionable offerings.

"At the very least, I just make it a point to teach my children what's appropriate by showing them which clothing types are suitable for playtime, school, and more special occasions," Amina says. And this busy, yet still very fashionable mother is assured that she'll continue finding all her children's clothing needs at ELLE. PR (FREEMAN)