Traffic / Alma Reyes

by Alma Reyes

FEANNE'S WEARABLE ART

Last July 7-9, a group of Filipino fashion designers led by Feanne, Jill Lao, Joseph Bagasao, Neil Felipp San Pedro, Kelvin Morales, Joyce Makitalo, HA.MÜ’s Abraham Guardian and Mamuro Oki, and Jerome Lorico showcased their designs in clothing, bags and accessories at Lifork Harajuku. The event was spearheaded by Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) in collaboration with H30 Fashion Bureau and LIT Fashion Consultancy in Tokyo, as a culmination of a fashion project that began in November 2019 with PHx Fashion Conference. Under the PHxTokyo mentorship, each designer was provided training on marketing, branding, and Japanese retailing for eight months.

Feanne, one of the fashion designers, recalls her memorable experience in Tokyo at that time. “I have always been a huge fan of Japanese culture—I think its influence in my work is obvious. It’s so exciting to have an opportunity to show my art to Japan and hopefully be commercially viable in that market.” She admitted knowing nothing about the Japanese market at first, but was guided well by her PHx Tokyo mentors. “I have great respect and admiration for the Japanese way of doing business—the attention to detail, the focus on integrity and craftsmanship, and the emphasis on building for the long-term.”

Feanne studied Interior Design at the University of the Philippines. She had previously exhibited her drawings and paintings in the Philippines. However, she found fashion to be a more practical way of integrating business with her art. Fashion has given her the foundation in project planning and management

Feanne refers to her works as “wearable art,” which can be both attractive pieces of art and functional wearable garments at the same time. Her brand FEANNE is noted for functionality and versatility. Her garments are easy to wear and don’t wrinkle easily. They can be stylized in various ways, for example, a piece of fabric that can dress over a simple shirt and jeans. For this purpose, her clothes are usually free-size to suit all body shapes. Her collection includes coats, kimonos, boleros, robes, silk and satin scarves and others. Most pieces are reversible, containing pockets and in unisex style. She enjoys creating silhouettes that are adaptable to all ages and seasons. Her patterns range from flora, fauna, to other art motifs often inspired by delicate details related to the Philippines. Some creations can also displayed as art or decoration. She excels both in freehand illustration and digital application and use of new technology for enhancing her art. She is not only involved in designing, but also in sourcing, production management, marketing, sales, as well as packing and shipping of her products.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ignited several challenges in Feanne’s work, such as production delays, especially during the Manila lockdown. “Staying mentally healthy has been tricky with the chronic background anxiety from the pandemic and politics and so on, but I’ve still been lucky and privileged to be safe and comfortable at home,” Feanne says. Instead of being bogged down by the pandemic, she shifted her energy towards productive results, focusing on commissions, licensing, and learning from the current situation.

In 2020, she was granted with the Adobe Creative Residency, which allowed her to do an illustration of a Palawan peacock that was to be used for the Adobe Fresco startup screen. Coming to the PHx Tokyo event was her next major achievement. She expresses her immense gratitude for having been given the chance to participate in this endeavor. “My mentors have helped me a lot to study different types of garment styles, prints, and colors that would be suitable for the Japanese market. I'm truly grateful to them. I've felt that my creative career has been on a bit of a plateau. Having been self-taught and self-directed for so many years, I felt that structured guidance from industry veterans could greatly help me take my creative career to the next level.”

Feanne’s website: http://feanne.com/portfolio/

Photos courtesy of Feanne

Alma Reyes

Jeepney Press