Chynna Mamawal is ‘IT’ celebrity fashion designer of the moment
As Halston once said, “You are only as good as the people you dress.” Well, if that’s the case, then millennial designer Chynna Mamawal maybe is today’s best.
The designer, who broke into the scene in 2018, quickly made a name for herself in the Philippine fashion and showbiz circuit as top stars like Lovi Poe, Megan Young, Nadine Lustre, Anne Curtis, Marco Gumabao and Pia Wurtzbach flocked to her for their stand-out event gowns, dresses and power suits.
If there is a huge event in showbiz, chances are Chynna dresses a number of the stars. Hers is also one of two ateliers in the country that cater to the coveted and premium Savile Row suits, which is why her clientele is also composed of VIPs.
We recently chatted with the talented designer, who told us more about her muses. “We love all our muses! But if we have to choose, it would be Lovi Poe and Megan Young. They’re both the perfect embodiment of a Chynna Mamawal muse (who is) intelligent, classy, stylish, and has the capability to carry herself independently through achieving her goals in life.”
Chynna added that her dream muses are, “Anne Hathaway, Emma Watson, and Scarlett Johansson. These ladies are all classy, stylish, and on top of their games. We love dressing up smart and independent women.”
In five years’ time, Chynna envisions her brand to go global. With her keen eye for detail and tailoring, it is not far off. Destiny seems to be starting with Chynna as the ball keeps rolling for her. She is still fresh from her well-applauded stint last April in the much-talked-about Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW), wherein she was invited to showcase her 12-piece Fall/Winter 2023 collection. Diving into her work, she shared with us her inspiration for the collection.
“Before getting my Canadian visa, I was traveling around the Philippines because it was Christmas holiday. I usually like to relax my mind before diving into my design mode. It’s a different world for me there. The collection was inspired by the beautiful nature and sceneries of our country that I saw during my travels,” she said.
“I got my visa in mid-January (and) then, I started conceptualizing and sketching until the end of January. Then we started fabricating all the pieces from March 1, 2023, to the first week of April. Then the next thing you know by April 9, 2023, I was already in Vancouver,” added Chynna, who explained more about her creations.
“After the pandemic, I promised myself to travel more within the Philippines to support tourism and see more of our beautiful country. So that’s what I did, my collection was inspired by my travels in our beautiful beaches and landscapes, and every time I looked at the stars at night by the beach, it (was) even more beautiful.
“As you can see my opening pieces during VFW were color black, shiny, and sparkly. I saw how beautiful our country is and the views are so serene. My black pieces were inspired by the stars and galaxies at night. The beadings of my silver and white pieces were inspired by the leaves of our trees, as you can see one piece is full of laser cut, that is shaped like leaves. The leaves were all handmade.
“I was also inspired by the local gems and pearls from our local vendors, so I decided to put gems and pearls in our clothes. There’s even a suit where the fabric I used is a faux crocodile skin fabric because we also went on a safari in the Philippines and saw crocodiles.”
And lastly, for the final look, Chynna had this to say: “I was inspired by the color of cocktails and dragon fruit that I was able to try during my travels. It’s also the color of the year. It’s as if I am showcasing the Philippines in my own eyes and perspective. I just really wanted to show the beauty of our country in the global fashion scene.”
The designer also wanted to highlight her whole team that made her vision possible. “I also wanted to showcase our strength as a team. We’re very proud of our beading and tailoring skills. My play of texture and combinations of colors.”
Chynna went to showcase her collection, giving it her all as she usually does. But she did not expect that the international press, ranging from publications like Elle to Vogue, would take notice and give her a nod of appreciation.
“When I went out of the stage, everyone was then clapping, everyone wanted a photo with me, every media wanted to interview me, cameras flashing everywhere as I (did) my courtesy call. Then, we had a standing ovation. Such a proud moment,” she said.
Though she got substantial attention, Chynna still feels challenged knowing that it is still a shock factor for the West to learn about amazing works by Filipino artists.
“I just show them my skills on the runway,” said the designer, who doesn’t take no for an answer, especially if she is going for something, and gives her 200 percent in everything that she does. That is why representing the Philippines at VFW was a badge of honor for Chynna, who told the audience to expect more from her.
“I’m super proud because I get to represent the Philippines through my art and fashion. I want to show the world that this is what Filipino designers can do. I want to showcase Filipino art and fashion in the global fashion scene. I even wore a Philippine flag pin when I did my courtesy call at Vancouver Fashion Week, and pointed that pin before taking a bag. I’m super proud to be a Filipino,” she concluded.
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