Charina Sarte: The girl about town

MANILA, Philippines - There was a time in the not-so-distant past when denizens of Manila would flock to the beach in their summer’s best. Spectacular summer fetes naturally created a demand for equally glamorous resort wear. Suddenly, the fashion-forward set was seeking out unique pieces that were tailor-made for summer’s mood and temperament.

“I started designing in 2005. Frustrated that I could not find clothes that I wanted, I hired my own sewers and began to make my own clothes,” recalls resort wear designer Charina Sarte. Her pieces — maillots, cover-ups and maxi dresses — captured the very essence of bohemian glamour. She describes, “When I started my swimwear line, there were only a few of us doing it. There was Celine Lopez, Wendy Puyat and my label.”

Back then, finding the perfect ensemble for summer had been close to impossible as shops only offered a very limited selection, all of which appeared very cookie-cutter and generic. Catering to the needs of the aesthetically astute, Charina soon found herself spending a large amount of her time working on a hobby that had flourished into a business.

“The beach is like a runway. Sexy maillots and cover-ups were everywhere. It was a great feeling when I saw that people were wearing my pieces,” recalls the young designer. Fashion cognoscenti, models and movers in style were raving about Charina’s pieces, catapulting her as one of the go-to designers for the quintessential girl-about-town.

She shares, “My vision is to make beautiful, wearable clothes for women who appreciate a great lifestyle. They have events, openings and parties to go to and I want to have something for her for all these occasions.” Today, Charina’s pieces are considered a style staple in just about every major event in town that highlights a feminine yet utterly glamorous design aesthetic.

Just last year, Charina opened her very own boutique at the Filipino Zone of Greenbelt 5. After five years of consigning her pieces in other fashion hubs, she had finally decided to fully commit to her craft. “I think now I’ve learned to marry fashion with business. When I first started, I was designing purely what I wanted to wear. Now, I try to have something for everyone by dressing multiple generations and lifestyles,” she reflects. In the Charina Sarte boutique, one will find her various clothing lines that each cater to certain sensibilities and lifestyles. Silver Label offers functional and versatile pieces that one can don from day to night. Meanwhile, sophisticated cocktail ensembles created with Manila’s dynamic clubbing scene in mind are available under her Black Label line. The Charina Sarte Swim line, of course, continues to push the envelope in luxurious resort wear.

Ultimately, Charina aspires to bring her label to the international market. She is also looking into the possibility of expanding her product range to include accessories, bags and shoes. The certified girl-about-town declares, “I am definitely going to travel this year with a book, some samples and arrange meeting with potential buyers. That’s what I did when I first started and so I’ll try to do the same thing abroad. Who better to sell your brand than yourself? I believe in what I’m selling and that’s already half the battle.”