| During my nearly two decades long career in Luxury retail, my palette was programmed towards knowledge of high end quality products or I can say I was near brand obsessive. Being acquainted with all of these bands is a crucial part of my business acumen and the environment I was involved in. I worked so hard, but I can also play hard. I have a collection of Prada, Chanel, Tiffany, Gucci, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and etc. My dream is to one day travel and shop at these places around the world, when and if that is ever possible. My thoughts about travel and shopping are endless. Our normal lives were halted due to Covid-19 hard circumstances, but that doesn’t mean that my desires have halted to acquire and enjoy high end pieces! I still do and I think I always will. But things change! So many things has changed since three months ago. I have used my time while at home to finish one of my life‘s goals to become a Jewelry Designer. Since I was home almost everyday, I had ample time to learn, finished the classes and quickly got certified. During the process, I was so enthusiastic, that I remained ahead of class schedule. I was thrilled to use the skills hands-on in designing and handcrafting. I have a strong urge to go back to my roots with jewelry design. Much of my inspiration is mainly from what I learned and know about Philippines, in particular Iloilo, where I hail from. I went way back and dug deeper into Philippine concepts for designs. During my research, I found myself falling back in love with my culture and people. It helped me better understand the hard work and sweats that were invested and put into their craft, that anyone can use, enjoy and appreciate. The preparation, the design, the manufacturing process, the raw materials, the thoughts and the total time is painstaking to make just one product. A true labor of love! This is exactly what I’d like to portray in my art. A connection with my roots, but always looking ahead, with plenty of heart. Here’s my new favorite thing, rare handcrafted items from the Philippines. Products can be found at my Facebook Page Travel Wise Shop & Style. I love all of them, not only that each item is beautiful and fashionable, but also the fact that these handbags are sustainable products. Each handbag is handwoven in its finest weaving style possible from different kinds of fiber, like palm leaves and banana leaves. Some materials are added with snake skin and fish skin too. Handmade by hardworking Filipino people and lovingly made in the Philippines. |
Travel & Style with Annie 