The idea of Mico started out when entrepreneur Mia Urquico was on her sophomore year at Assumption College in 1988. Hers was the first batch (Entrepreneurship Course) that was allowed to wear civilian clothes on Fridays. Since her older brother Jojo was a fashion designer, Mia had the advantage of having her clothes made to measure and naturally became somewhat of a fashion expert in school.
The experience encouraged Mia to learn how the ins and outs of the dressmaking trade and she started accepting orders from her classmates. So successful was this endeavor that Mia branched out to accommodate batch mates and pretty soon even the Juniors to the Seniors in the campus. The budding businesswoman would bring the clothes ordered to school and used the school’s restroom as a fitting room.
Mia would collect swatches from textile stores in Kamuning and SM North-EDSA either in between breaks or before classes started in the afternoon. Not having a sizeable capital to start with, Mia was fortunate that all the textile owners trusted her enough to extend a 30 to 60-day credit line. Within that same year, orders kept growing and she would pack the trunk of her car with orders. Eventually, the load included ready-to-wear items.
What started as a three-sewing machine setup has now grown into an impressive enterprise specializing in bespoke and RTW clothes. Mia’s store in Shangri-La Plaza Mall has enjoyed a loyal following with a diverse clientele ranging from debutantes to ladies celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries.
For this coming Holiday season, Mico’s RTW line offers outfits in textured brocade, body-hugging cocktail dresses in jersey and satin as well as handpainted gowns.
(Mico is located at 3/L Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd. Mandaluyong City. For more information, call 0917-5033335, 634-8048 and 364-8052.)
Photography by JOANNE ZAPANTA-ANDRADA • Model: MARIANNA HENUD • Makeup and hairstyling by RAZ RIMOR for AZZANZI (Tel. no. 807-8966)