Ditta Sandico on Her Journey in the Arts and its Many Facets
Today, many fashion brands have followed in the footsteps of Sandico and other renowned designers who have put our local indigenous fabrics on the map. "We have come a long way. . .however, there are still so many avenues to be explored in terms of design and technology," she believes. "New methods of creating fabric like block printing, different dyeing techniques, as well as blending indigenous with synthetic fibres could still be delved into further to broaden the use of manufactured textiles bearing the local patterns and designs of the indigenous tribal communities," she adds.
Her work as a social entrepreneur has led her to reach far-flung areas like the Mangyan communities in Mindoro. And in such immersion, she has experienced firsthand the plight of the weavers. "At one time during my trips to the community, I was horrified to have heard from one of the tribal women how she recanted stories on the women folk who would bury their newborn babies alive for fear of not being able to take care and provide for their children due to poverty and malnutrition," Sandico recalls. "These very women who choose to exting
Filipino designer Ditta Sandico&#;s creations aren&#;t just for your mother anymore.
For decades, the name Ditta Sandico has been synonymous with modernized Filipiniana pieces made from indigenous materials. In , she pioneered the use of banana-abaca fabric woven in Catanduanes, turning them into multi-use wraps. Later, she’ll dub the fabric as banaca, wielding expertise in the use of the material, which she will be best known for.
“During those times, there was a gap in the market that I wanted to fill,” Sandico says. She was seated in her garden while a photoshoot was going on just a few meters away. The place which also housed her shop and atelier was an urban oasis, a place perfect for a creative like her to work and thrive.
“I wanted to create Filipiniana that women can travel with and wear more than once,” she says. Sandico, a working woman herself, saw more women having the need and interest to wear Filipiniana to work and as a part of their careers. “For example, the diplomatic corps,” she continues. “A full terno piece can take up half of their luggage and it can only be worn once.”
Her wraps became an instant hit among Filipino diplomats and diplomatic spouses wh
Journeys
A collection of articles featuring the journeys of Ditta Sandico in her fashion career.
Ditta Sandico
As the world stands still, I’ve taken this precious time to reflect on the beauty of living, growing, and nurturing each other.
Right at the beginning of this journey, my heart was set on alternative fashion yet my youth failed to grasp the extent of such pursuit until I lived each and every day of it. Throughout my years in the fashion industry, I’ve come to understand the depths of connection that every fiber makes. From what started as an innocent personal project working with just one weaver, giving her a livelihood, and helping her family go through life, this toil then blossomed into a community right before my eyes. It’s safe to say that I started this journey walking on the right path. The brand has been through a few hits and some misses, and who hasn’t? But I’ve remained true to the heart of my pursuit. And while the rewards were very tangible for the community of Banaca and Cedalino weavers, and today with the Mangyan weavers, it has been intangible for me, and enjoyed quite bountifully if I may add. I didn’t think alternative fas
“The Journey Beyond Fashion” by Ditta Sandico Interview by Rebecca Torres Images by DITTA SANDICO Ditta Sandico (DS) is the Wrap Artiste of the Philippines and a modern Filipiniana fashion designer who creatively transforms indigenous fibers into unique designs of beautiful wraps and colourful accessories. She is multi awarded, a Gawad Yamang Isip Awardee, recognized in the WIN Con- ference (Women’s international Networking), in the Philippine AGORA Awards in for her Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship - Small Scale Winner and a TOWNS awardee from the Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service Foundation. What significant events in your life spurred your interest in the art of weaving natural fibers? At the young age, our family vacation is spent in our country home with a cattle farm in Oriental Mindoro. During those trips, I was immersed on the intricacies of the art of weaving by the indigenous Hanunuo Mangyans in the mountains of Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro. After I graduated from the Wood Tobe Coburn Fashion School in New York, I pioneered in transfo
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"The Journey Beyond Fashion" - Ditta Sandico
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