LONDON—This city is a hotbed of bold, ambitious and burgeoning talents. And a creative force fast making a name for herself in the cutthroat world of fashion is Filipina-British Cabrini Roy.
Cabrini follows on the successes enjoyed in London by Filipino designers, such as Lesley Mobo, Mich Dulce and John Herrera. Her clothes have been worn by celebrities, such as Nadine Lustre, Loisa Andalio, Kyline Alcantara, Julie Anne San Jose and Ylona Garcia.
In the future, though, she would love to see Zendaya, Jhene Aiko, Ariana Grande, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Bella Hadid wearing her clothes as she loves each of their styles. Cabrini created a stir when she was featured in the October issue of Vogue UK, with Kaia Gerber on the cover, along with emerging talents that the fashion bible deemed as rising stars. The dynamic consul Stacy Danika Garcia, an arts and culture aficionado, arranged a meeting between me and Cabrini at a café near the Philippine Embassy.
What follows is our informal and electronic conversation.
What IS your fashion awakening?
I’m a 23-year-old fashion designer. I graduated from London College of Fashion (Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear) last year and just recently started up my brand. I was born in the Philippines but came to England when I was five. From a young age, I’ve always adored fashion. I got it from my mom, who loved dressing up and I was inspired by her which lead me to start designing clothes at nine years old.
I was a very creative child and I loved the idea of mixing art and clothes. For my 13th birthday, I begged my parents for a sewing machine and this was the first time I made clothes and I just fell in love with it. Since then, I’ve always known that I wanted to have my own brand one day.
How did you come to realize what your aesthetic was going to be?
It was going to university that helped me discover my aesthetic. I was drawn to garments and colors that were minimal and clean but contrasted with bold silhouettes. I specialize in luxury ready-to-wear garments that aim to empower the everyday modern woman.
When did you know you were ready to start a collection?
I got e-mailed by Fashions Finest (an online portal for all people involved in the fashion world—models, creatives, photographers, designers, hair and makeup stylist, writers, journalists, etc.) to participate in London Fashion Week (LFW) and it really pushed me. I wanted to do a new collection anyways and this was the perfect way to showcase it.
Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from my cross culture of British-Filipino. I get inspired by both of my cultures. I also get inspiration from my childhood photos as I’ve always wanted my clothes to be a representation of my life, my identity and my style.
What makes London a good place to start in fashion? Why is studying fashion in London a great investment?
London is one of the fashion capitals in the world. It’s a great place to start fashion and a great investment to study fashion because there’s so many inspirations everywhere, like the way people dress, the locations, and there are so many museums and galleries that you can visit and draw inspiration from.
When I need inspiration, I usually just go to exhibitions or museums, or just walk about London. There are also many fabric shops in London that specialize in the different fabrics you’re after.
For me, I get design ideas by looking at the fabric so this is also one of my favorite things to do to get inspirations. There’s Fashion Week that happens twice a year that you can go intern in so you can watch shows and get many opportunities for internships so you can learn and gain more skills and experience.
What are the inspirations and emotions behind your LFW collection?
My collection, “Wardrobe ng Modern Maria Clara,” blends my love for a selection of pinnacle fashion references, including power dressing, soft silhouettes and my culture. I took inspiration from my Filipino heritage with the idea of a modern Filipiniana and Maria Clara with a combined twist of soft tailoring and a feminine touch. I created a setting in my imagination of a modern Maria Clara living and working in the city wearing chic, trendy and eye-catching clothes, but still keeping the silhouette of a traditional Filipiniana in her wardrobe.
At the heart of my collection is a core understanding of a color palette to complement any skin color and body type. Soft hues are mimicked through the use of organza and silk creating the perfect representation of a warm summer’s evening—all of them contrasted with sharp tailoring. This collection is the perfect representation of my own cross culture.
How can one participate in a platform like LFW?
There’s a handful of Fashion Week event organizers that you can apply to so you can get a chance to participate at London Fashion Week.
How did the British Vogue feature come about?
They actually contacted me directly and e-mailed me that they would like my brand to be featured on their Designer Profile and Vogue Retail sections. The magazine handpicks emerging designers to be part of their designer profile campaign and www.vogue.co.uk/retail and my brand was one of them. This opportunity is such a huge highlight in my career as I’m only four months into starting my brand and Vogue has already recognized me.
My immediate career plans is to launch my web site (www.cabriniroy.portfoliobox.io) and my brand so people can start purchasing my clothes. I’m so excited because it’s a dream come true to have people wear Cabrini Roy.