The right stuff

MANILA, Philippines - These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a teen who’s only preoccupied with academics. Orgs and extracurricular activities fill up the majority of many a student’s calendar, but it doesn’t stop there. This slashie generation has also dictated that you do, or be, someone else. Student slash photographer, student slash intern, and perhaps the most profitable — student slash entrepreneur.

This season’s proving to be a real holidaze, with the kids (and their products) about to take this year’s final test. From vegetarian sweets to quirky necklaces, Young Star rounds up some of the best student-made gifts around. It may not be graded but hey, something tells us that some extra profit will feel like an “A.”

FML Cheesecakes

Though our hips would never thank us, being surrounded by the two most delicious ingredients in the world — cheese and sugar — makes up for every pound we put on. Two students living the sweet life are Millicent Ang Espina and Laura Catala, co-owners of FML Cheesecakes. Each cheesecake they deliver is made-to-order, and every recipe is meticulously crafted and refined before being offered to the public. They also accept custom flavors, which should be a great hit among loved ones this coming Christmas season.

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Order online via their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMLcheesecakes).

Freestyle Necklaces

Is there anything that can’t be turned into the pendant of a necklace? This is the idea that Claudine Mijares and Marvin Conanan have constantly been challenging since 2009 with their quirky venture, Freestyle Necklaces. It began with poker chips and plastic toy soldiers, and with the positive reception, they ran with it — eventually learning that there are no limits to what they could attach to simple chain necklaces. Today, Freestyle Necklaces has released over 30 different sets, some of which include Pokémon, Angry Birds, Lego, cassette tapes, guitar picks, and Harry Potter paraphernalia (spectacles and Deathly Hallows symbol included).

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Freestyle Necklaces are bazaar veterans and also maintain an online store via Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FreestyleNecklaces).

Zoo

Forget what you may know about online stores your friends own. Multiply and Facebook are child’s play to the Zulueta sisters, Kat and Kim, who established the label in early 2009 through bold, limited-edition footwear. The uniqueness of each shoe and its appeal to higher fashion caught the eye of many in the industry, which led to the explosion of ZOO onto the international platform. “In 2010,” according to the two, “ZOO became bigger and bolder and from a small online store, it grew to a full fashion haven—a one-stop shop selling the whole range of trend-setting footwear, clothing, and accessories to fashion-conscious shoppers worldwide.”

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Peep their online store at http://zoo.com.ph.

Skinny Sweets

Overly stuffing one’s self during the Christmas season is a cycle of bliss, remorse and poundage that we all share every year. But thanks to Essa Pamandanan and Raleene Cabrera of Skinny Sweets, we can worry no more. Made with isomalt and soy milk in lieu of sugar and milk, their vegan Red Velvet Cake Pops (with white or semi-sweet dark chocolate coating) and S’mores Cupcakes are here to help us fulfill one mission: To indulge the guilty pleasures without the guilt.

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To order, email them at skinnysweetsdesserts@gmail.com or visit their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkinnySweets — Cate De Leon

Superfluously

Owned and designed by UP fine arts major Anne Solomon, the name Superfluously was derived from the word “superfluous,” meaning unnecessary or being more than enough, describing how accessories aren’t really needed but how they add that extra flare to any outfit. The brand features an edgy and unique line of necklaces, rings and fringed body harnesses. Each collection is released once or twice a month, with limited pieces for each accessory to avoid mass production and preserve the products’ rarity and individuality, all at very affordable prices.

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Visit https://www.facebook.com/Superfluously— Cate De Leon

Skin Me

As a first-time smartphone owner, my heart breaks a little every time I drop my phone. And ironically, this is the cell phone that has slipped through my fingers the most. To the rescue of all abused gadgets around the world is SkinMe by Archie. Unlike a new case, applying a new skin is a brand-new lease on life for any gadget, covering up dents and scratches beneath it. And you can choose from a rainbow of colors in glossy or matte variants, or even a carbon fiber finish. Archie says, however, that laptops, tablets and cell phones aren’t the end of the line. “Anything with a smooth surface can be skinned,” and that includes headsets, TVs, any household appliance, car interiors and exteriors.

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Have Archie personalize and protect your or your loved ones’ gadgets and other toys by sending him a message via Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/SkinMe).

Fifth Code

If Lorenz Namalata were to dispense one piece of fashion wisdom for the rest of his life, it would be to “wear blazers all-year round.” So in an attempt to walk his talk, he created Fifth Code: a blazer-only online store that features his own original designs. The brand takes its name from the idea that “it is quite difficult to be noticed in a group of four, as there are four pillars in a building and four legs to a table or a chair, so the fifth item almost always makes one stand out.”

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The brand recently celebrated its anniversary with its fifth (no less) collection which you can view and order online (http://www.facebook.com/FifthCode).