By Angelika Twinkle Mae A. Auro and Jed Nykolle Harme
Your clothes have the power to both keep you dry and warm, while also allowing you to express your individual style and points of view. Streetwear has been a craze in Aklan thanks to all the emerging local brands as individuals value their appearance for their social media.
Thankfully, there are now more clothing shops and apparel brands in Aklan that feature arrays of designs for all ages.
Forget your cabinets and your drawers, here are some of the local drip selections presented to you by 5 of Aklan's local clothing line brands!
1. Karma Clothing
Are you fond of bizarre art and yet would like to blend your outfit with the "skater boy" look? If you are, then the Karma Clothing line is worth checking out.
Photo: Karma Clothing FB Page
This brand's ideas range from trend-focused tees to dark graphics and cartoons. Anything from hardcore metal music to skateboarding, bicycling, motorcycling, tattoos, hip-hop, and more are this brand's features.
Karma Clothing also sells fashionable headwears that make wearers look lively. Not to mention: famous singers also wear their products!
Worth the hype, isn't it? Well, this brand has a distinctive and even cooler history!
How it started
Edwin A. Torrea, a 40-year-old businessman, and the founder of Karma Clothing started his brand in 2018.
Mr. Torrea had worries about his ability to communicate his art during his high school years, since he thought he wasn't that skilled at drawing. When he reached college, however, he began experimenting and developing his creativity. He was motivated to translate his ideas into shirts since he had always envisioned having his own clothing brand. He would sketch up his ideas on bond papers and get his hands dirty by copying them onto his old, worn-out shirts.
Karma Clothing is actually not the original name of his brand. His first company name, "Gorilya Shirt," was taken from one of his favorite tattoo artists from Inkin Apes. After about a year, he decided to rebrand and thus came up with the current name.
This change had both benefits and drawbacks, but the owner chose to emphasize the idea more. "Who wouldn't desire positive karma?", Mr. Torrea reasoned.
Today, after years of working in corporate jobs, his clothing brand has provided the majority of his income for the past four years.
A Different Belief and Charity
The goal of Karma Clothing's advocacy is to show people that karma can be positive. Mr. Torrea also enjoys traveling, and he promotes his product by reaching out to individuals all around the world. He keeps a supply of souvenirs from his brand — such as stickers and shirts — and gives them to tricycle drivers and tour guides he meets.
Since its beginning, Karma Clothing has been a committed voluntary effort. During the Taal eruption, typhoons, and pandemic, the owners assisted and offered support. They intend to continue to work for and promote this cause as time goes on.
Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/KARMA.Clothing.kra
2. Spoiled Guy
Have you explored some clothing stores in search of the warmest and trendiest items for your summer wardrobe? Try Spoiled Guy. Wearing these trendy items can make your holiday photos look even more amazing. Wait no more and overindulge yourself with Spoiled Guy's collection of shirts perfect for travelers anywhere, for any vibe.
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| Photo: Spoiled Guy FB Page |
How it started
The three 26-year-old owners of this brand namely Renz Reymart F. Masangkay, John Carlo Riego, and Jay-R Sitjar started their business on May 3, 2021.
The chance came up on a chill night. They were simply talking about their lives, sharing some stories when the thought of launching a clothing brand suddenly entered their minds.
According to the owners, they chose the garment industry because, in addition to having a shared passion for fashion since they were young, they all aspired to start their own clothing line ever since. To make that goal a reality, they created their own original designs that were on-point in terms of style, suitable for people of all ages.
Local Brands can Compete
The main concept of their designs is to give comfort to the wearers. They believe that even local brands can compete and promote good quality shirts.
"There are a lot of imported brands that are really great, but we desire to show that local brands can also compete", said the owners.
Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/spoiledguy2021
3. Collision Clothing
Are you looking for dope streetwear to have on this vacation? Or perhaps you fit that description of a hip-hop fan? Assemble your homies and check Collision Clothing out — where the new age of streetwear clothes collide!
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| Photo: Collision Clothing FB Page |
This local brand excels at creating fashionable apparel that matches the most recent trends. Their T-shirts come with hot features such as unique elements, anime characters, and unusual patterns.
Collision Clothing gives people a variety of choices from hip-hop to a summer collection. They also sell cool facemasks excellent for a street fashion walk!
How it started
The 23-year-old owner of the brand Mr. Gerry Algarne Macabante Jr. started his clothing line on January 28, 2022.
In Boracay, Mr. Macabante was reselling shirts from brand owners. As he was saving money, he considered creating his own clothing line business. With that, he made an initial investment of 11,000 pesos for his startup entity. Eventually, he was dissatisfied with the results so he purchased his own machine in December. On July 28, he finally started working alone on his clothing line.
Mr. Macabante stated, "I picked the clothing brand business, since creating my own clothing designs was a childhood goal of mine."
A Brand that Inspires
Mr. Macabante Jr. wants his brand to serve as a springboard for other entrepreneurs to start their clothing line businesses. He wanted to serve as an epitome of how someone who, like himself, did not complete their education may still be successful and build their own brand in the business industry.
Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CollisionClothing
4. Gungho
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| Photo: Gungho FB Page |
Hey, fashionistas! Are you on the lookout for a shop that could provide everything you'll need for the entire year in a timeless style and reasonable costs? Basically, your attire for the road, for the street, and for the summer will be complete with Gungho's colorful and minimalist designs!
Aside from this brand's unique styles, it also values good notions. With its tagline "Change, Evolve and Inspire", the concepts of their designs always revolve around self-improvement. The brand would emphasize a set of values that they wished the wearer of their shirts and people nearby might reflect upon. Are you hunting for meaningful shirts? Then this brand might be for you!
How it started
It began with close pals from Regional Science High School for Region 6. Samuel
Templonuevo, Joseph Sy, Kyle Andrew Tapican, Kevin Yeban, Franco Fernandez, and Keannu Abella own the clothing line Gungho. The idea of this brand started in February 2022.
These enthusiastic owners mirror their brand's name as they chose to pursue this business despite the challenges of being a beginner.
"With only enough capital to launch a limited first drop, we were a gung-ho bunch eager to start a clothing brand for the first time, not realizing we were in for a wild ride", said the owners.
They knew right off the bat that they needed their brand to stand out from the crowd. Thus, in contrast to other local clothing brands, they embraced minimalism in their designs that also constantly convey a relevant message, one shirt at a time.
A Brand with a Cause
These best buddies chose to start a clothing line since they acknowledge that they can express their values through their shirts.
Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/gunghoclothing
5. Istmby Clothing
These trying times has caused our mental health to suffer, and some of us may cope with this through retail therapy. If you're thirsting for a shop that gives you the complete package of outfits, then the all-in-one Istmby Clothing is here to astound you!
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| Photo: Istmby Clothing FB Page |
Istmby Clothing showcases the street fashion of everday citizens in the province of Aklan. Its clothes and designs are perfect for individuals who love the teenage and fashionable vibe of what they're wearing.
How it started
Istmby Clothing was started on April 26, 2021, by a group of friends in Aklan during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the owners, their brand was founded amidst the rise of the crisis. They were locked inside during their time at the facility under quarantine. Then on, because of their intense passion for art, they simply thought of establishing a clothing line.
They enjoy seeing their work being worn by others because it makes them feel appreciated. For them, it tells them that people value their artistic production.
Their designs echo the phrase "Keep Chillin" as their slogan, which represents their belief that one should not overthink or overwork themselves in this life, no matter how hard it gets.
Not all Istambay are Useless
The owners' main objective, if their brand ever succeeds, is to provide employment for those who are idle and struggling to find an occupation. Their brand Istmby, a shortened and stylish way for "Istambay", as they want to portray how a person can still grow even from the lowest status in life.
Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Istmby-Clo-100591825522385