Katya Lichauco’s newly-launched Simonita creates resort-to-city fashion designed to be worn beyond summer getaways.
Ever look at a killer dress and think, “I wish I could wear this more than once?” Katya Lichauco certainly has. Like many of us, her summer travels would often lead to a treasure hunt for unique resort pieces, more specifically the kinds that scream personality and instantly turn heads. This is how she found herself channeling that familiar desire into Simonita, her new beach-to-city resortwear label built on the revolutionary idea that your statement pieces shouldn’t fade into the back of your closet after a single event.
Simonita is a collection of bold prints and silhouettes that beg to be reworn, re-styled, and reimagined. This isn’t just fashion: it’s a commitment to a wardrobe that lives with you, effortlessly transitioning from a sun-drenched beach lunch to a chic urban gathering.
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The Women Behind the Wear
The brand’s name, Simonita, is an unexpected nod to Katya’s cat, Simone, her “quiet shadow and observer” throughout the entire creation process. Naming the label after her furry friend felt natural, serving as an ode to presence, warmth, and the comfort of being accompanied while building a dream from scratch. It’s this blend of intimate warmth and grounded reality that makes the brand feel so approachable.
But the human backbone of Simonita is a team of dedicated women. While Katya spearheads most of the designing, sourcing, meeting with suppliers, managing logistics, marketing, and behind-the-scenes work, the project bears the unmistakable “fingerprints of the women around her.”
Picture Katya’s mom, Tania, joining every sourcing trip and hauling kilograms of fabric under the scorching sun—a true labor of love. Imagine her best friends stepping in for everything from unpacking deliveries to sorting inventory and testing samples. One of those friends, Nikki Roxas, even created the brand’s visual identity, ensuring the look feels both modern and deeply personal. These figures—alongside the countless other women who offered advice, encouragement, and steady support—were the forces that made this vision feel achievable.
More than a passion project she balances with a full-time day job, Simonita is the fulfillment of a childhood dream Katya had been postponing; it’s a new chapter where her professional strengths of storytelling, strategy, and community-building are woven directly into the brand’s foundation.
The Mission Simonita
The brand naturally mirrors what Katya pursues in her work: women uplifting women, but this time expressed through stunning garments and bags. The pieces are conversation starters, ready to join you on your next adventure, whether you’re catching a flight or spending a leisurely afternoon with friends.
The label is kicking off with an in-person release, which will give people the chance to see and experience the brand’s products up close. The launch will also feature limited quantities of pieces collected from Katya’s travels; remaining garments from this collection will be sold online after the event as Katya begins working on new designs for next year.
The challenge now is less about direction and more about curation—too many prints, too many beautiful fabrics, too many ideas waiting to be edited. It’s this abundance that makes Simonita feel alive and full of possibility. The pieces are built around bold prints and silhouettes that can be reworn, re-styled, and reimagined. Statement pieces shouldn’t disappear after one event; they should live with you. Simonita provides these unique pieces with personality that get people asking where you got them.
Photos courtesy of Simonita
