When Linda Salonga was growing up, her parents took her to Escolta to buy finely designed and durable US-made shoes. Later on, as her shoe needs became a little more sophisticated, she started shopping on her own but there was not much to choose from. She’d go to Cartimar to have her shoes made-to-order but they never were quite as good as she wanted them to be. When the Central Bank of the Philippines (now Bangko Sentral) clamped down on the importation of all non-essential consumer goods it became even harder to find really good shoes.
After she finished business administration (to be followed with a master’s degree later) at the University of the Philippines she married a medical doctor, Benjamin Pastoral, who also loved shoes. Whenever they were in the US outsourcing for their textile business, they would go window shopping and ended up buying shoes they didn’t really need. “ We just couldn’t resist these very comfortable shoes, that came in unusual styles and colors like taupe, olive, champagne,” Linda now recalls.
While Ben focused on details and craftsmanship, Linda observed the trends and styles in vogue in their travels to Europe. Armed with their newfound knowledge and sheer determination, they started their own shoe business in Manila, naming it Ohrelle.
Ohrelle is a French-American name that Linda encountered during one of her trips abroad. “Our going into the shoe business required more than just physically putting up a shop. It involved many hours of corroboration with our shoemakers who were willing to shed off the ‘ pwede na’ mentality that they were accustomed to. We allowed them to tear apart the shoes we brought home to discover some secrets of Italian shoe making. We insisted on driving screws into heels, adding cushions in the insole for support, choosing only wide shoe lasts for comfort, adequate spring toes for easy walking, leather hides for lining, and last but not the least, using super lightweight heels and other materials.
“There were a few local artesans who produced quality shoes on a limited scale, but they lacked updates on shoe trends from abroad. These master craftsmen have long been gone and their legacy was never taken up by their heirs who opted for other career paths.”
They eventually opened their first store on Taft Avenue within the university belt. Naturally, their first customers were the students from PWU and nearby St. Paul’s College. Soon they were bringing their moms, aunts and friends.“ Believe it or not, customers from way back come to us still using the Ohrelle shoes that they bought 10 years ago are proud to say so,” says Linda.
Ohrelle shoes are different from other shoes because they are leather lined, light weight, wide enough because the lasts used are tested to be comfortable for walking. Linda claims they are “reasonably priced so that even an aspiring market segment can possibly afford them. And of course, the styles are exclusively by Ohrelle.”
A design team, which includes Linda, pools their talents to put together Ohrelle’s exclusive collections and collection for the younger set called Jolie by Ohrelle. The team attends trade fairs in Hong Kong and visits Canton trade fairs where shoe manufacturers/participants from all over the world show off their latest collections. Linda goes to leather fairs in America, Germany and the Semaine de Cuir in Paris. And looks up fashion forecasts and trends from the Internet.
The Ohrelle collections include flats, boat and ballet shoes, wedges, heels dancing shoes, platforms and sandals. They also have bags to complement the shoes and accessories to complete the look.
Ohrelle targets the active woman 25-45 years old who can use versatile styles from meetings to lunches to afternoon digs to after 6 pm events. To address the needs of campus girls or young female adults who are very fashion savvy these days, it developed a special collection called Jolie by Ohrelle. This collection is more adventurous and colorful.
With her husband having passed away, Linda is running the family corporation with the assistance of her son Benjamin Jr. and daughter Joy Moreno.
At present Ohrelle has showroom shops at SM City North Edsa, and at the Cash and Carry Mall in Filmore Ave., Makati. Concession shops are in
the department stores of Landmark Makati and Landmark Trinoma, Robinsons Galeria and Robinsons Place in Ermita, and Metro Gaisano in Market Market. We are also selling online thru Ohrelle’s Facebook. Thanks to the Internet customers in the provinces can order their shoes online.
The usual problem in the local shoe industry is the lack of steady supply of raw materials especially when imports are held up in the congested port of Manila. Importation is controlled by a few businessmen who also cater to the financial needs of the shoemakers. The number of good zapateros has dwindled and that’s why the local government of Marikina operates an ongoing skills training center for shoe makers and conducts seminars on updating manufacturing processes and supporting small shoemakers through promos like shoe festivals and shoe caravans For Linda, improving our shoes should be a continuing concern in the industry especially now that the ASEAN Free Trade is in effect.
It is essentially important to address the perennial problems plaguing the industry. The local government can go all out in forming a shoemaker’s cooperative that is managed professionally but allowing all stakeholders to get actively involved.
The cooperative can buy raw materials in bulk (mostly from China) and distribute at lower costs to members, thereby eliminating the middlemen, procure state of the art shoe machinery and make them available to members on a rental basis ,and eventually perhaps provide financing to lower costs of production, says Linda. Hopefully, it can see how it can stop the flood of cheap imports which tend to be poorer in quality and most probably smuggled through our borders.
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SIMM, the largest alumni chapter in Metro Manila recognized by the Silliman Alumni Association, is holding a series of special events to celebrate the 14th Founder’s Day of Silliman University
On August 9, a fellowship and lunch will be held at Cosmopolitan Church. On August 14, Friday, a Sing-Aling with Andy Bais amd a live jazz band will be held at the San Lorenzo Village multi-purpose hall.
A GALING AWARDS NIGHT on August 30, 6 p.m. New world Hotel ballroom, Makati city, will toast outstanding achievers in various industries, and give a special tribute to Outstanding Sillimanian Awardee for 2015 “Bing” Guanzon, COMELEC commissioner.
On the same evening, an inspirational talk will be delivered by CNN Hero Efren Penaflorida. Also, musical performances by Katrina Marie Saga, Coloratura soprano and soloist of the UP Madrigal Singers, Dondi Ong, 3X Aliw Awardee as Best Classical Male performer, and surprise guest artists.
For more information and tickets, contact Ed Dames, SIMM president at 0920-954-3599 or email edames.fci@gmail.com.
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My email:dominitorrevillas@gmail.com