Crafted to perfection

Mia Urquico-Malixi has come a long way in her 21 years as an apparel retailer. An expert in both made-to-order (MTO) and ready-to-wear (RTW) clothes, Mia’s store Mico has been a favorite of many brides, debutantes and prom-goers in Metro Manila. Her secret: carefully crafted attires, quality materials and client-friendly prices.

Mia explains, “In order for our staff to meet the demands of the changing and growing needs of our clients, we expanded our couture business and added a more varied RTW line.”

She now carries a line called Red Corner where she creates an all red-colored collection from evening gowns to cocktail dresses and casual chic tops. “I created Red Corner because we have about 80 percent Filipino-Chinese clients who need to wear red every time they attend birthdays and other parties.”

Her store also has modern Filipiniana gowns available all year round for themed parties and last minute Filipiniana events. Her Plus Size and Curvy line, on the other hand, is dedicated to women who do not have the hourglass figures yet want to look stylish as they show off those curves. Her Jersey line is for women who love this very versatile fabric.

“Needless to say, our cocktail, evening and wedding gowns are very popular as we have a wide array of styles to choose from,” Mia says.

With a workforce of more than 30 employees, Mico’s MTO business is brisk as clients would not have to wait very long to receive their orders. “Depending on the design, it takes about a week, two at the most, to have the outfits done,” Mia shares.

Also among Mico’s clientele are men who wish to have their tuxedos, business suits and barong Tagalog outfits made as well as ladies who wish to have bespoke shoes and hand bags.

For this fashion editorial, Mia has prepared a line of elegant gowns in clean lines using silk, tulle, lace and jersey. “The silhouettes are clean and the overall look is timeless,” she points out. “When a woman buys a Mico outfit, she is buying an item that is a staple in her wardrobe. That makes good fashion sense!”

(Mico is located at Shangri-La Mall and Eastwood Mall.)

Photography by Joanne Zapanta-Andrada • Model: Malu Mello • Hair and makeup by Raz Rimor • Shot on location at GREENBELT 5 • Special thanks to Javi Hernandez of Ayala Commercial Group and Tintin Enriquez and Candy Nepomuceno of Ayala Malls