Generations of shoemakers built Marikina’s reputation, and these Filipino brands are keeping that legacy alive.
Marikina earned its title as “the Shoe Capital of the Philippines” generations ago, and a new wave of local brands is making sure it keeps that name. Cheap imports and fast fashion tried to push the industry aside, but the city’s shoemakers held their ground. Now, a fresh generation of designers, artisans, and family businesses has stepped up to carry the craft forward. We continue where we left off in our September 2026 print feature that explored the city’s shoe legacy, giving you a list of seven more Marikina-made shoe brands demonstrating how craft, when done right, never really goes out of style.
READ ALSO: The Sole Of A City: Inside Marikina’s Shoemaking Revival
Marquina Shoemaker
At Marquina Shoemaker, penny loafers, horsebit loafers, and derbies get cut with a mid-century sensibility, made from full-grain leather in warm, worn-in tones that only get better with age. The brand started online and has since grown into a full showroom experience. Their Makati “shoeroom” on Guijo Street lets you try on every silhouette in person, feel the leather, and find your fit before you commit.
Thy Roots
Thy Roots founder Schan Cruz grew up surrounded by his family’s leather trade in Marikina, and instead of staying in the family business, he broke off to build something with his own point of view. He pulls references from Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, and Junya Watanabe, then filters them through a split-toe tabi design that shows up across Mary Janes, mules, and loafers.
Andanté
Named after the Italian musical term for “quite slowly,” Andanté commits to that pace with every step. The brand’s catalog covers loafers, oxfords, brogues, ballet flats, Mary Janes, and fisherman sandals, all made from genuine leather built to develop a patina over time. Every pair comes out of a Marikina factory. The brand pulls design cues from different eras, giving classic shapes a modern update without losing what made them timeless.
Renegade Folk
Three sisters, Bea, Tina, and Reg Sambalido, launched Renegade Folk in 2007 as a side project born out of curiosity. Nearly two decades later, it’s grown into one of the most recognized names in Filipino footwear.
The name says it all. “Renegade” nods to carving an independent path, and “folk” points to the community behind it. The sisters keep production largely by hand rather than by machine, working directly with Marikina’s sapateros on sandals, flats, mules, and low heels in easy-to-match neutral and earthy tones.
Zapateria
Few brands can claim a shoemaking pedigree like Zapateria. The Sta. Ana family has made shoes in Marikina since 1887, passing the craft down through five generations. Unyx Sta. Ana, daughter of respected shoe designer Rico Sta. Ana, now leads the brand as the first woman in her family line to take up the trade.
Zapateria bills itself as the Philippines’ first creative hub for footwear design, pairing veteran artisans with a new generation of designers and hobbyists. Their “Collaboratory” initiative invites outside creatives to design, resulting in limited pieces like the raffia-woven Tarsimoji, inspired by the Philippine tarsier.
Jos Mundo
Jos Mundo’s story starts with a discovery. In 2018, Anna Canlas stepped into Rico Sta. Ana’s workshop and found an archive of 1990s designs, square toes, block heels, candy colors, that felt years ahead of their time. What began as a revival project called Studio Josanna grew into Jos Mundo, an all-women collective made up of Canlas, Trinity Yeung, Sabine Monfort, Jana Codera, and Karen Bolilia. The brand says all of its shoes are produced in Marikina, and it now runs a bookable showroom in Poblacion alongside its footwear line.
Bristol Shoes
Apolinario and Dorotea de Dios founded Bristol Shoes in Marikina back in 1978, starting with made-to-order pairs. By 1982, their daughter Erlinda Abacan took the reins and expanded the label into ready-to-wear, turning a family workshop into one of the city’s longest-running footwear names.
Nearly five decades later, Bristol still represents what put Marikina on the map, with handcrafted, built-to-last shoes made by people who’ve spent generations perfecting the trade.
Banner photo courtesy of Andanté
Frequently Asked Questions
Marikina earned its reputation through generations of skilled shoemakers, family workshops, and locally made shoes built to last.
Marikina-made brands include Marquina Shoemaker, Thy Roots, Andanté, Renegade Folk, Zapateria, Jos Mundo, and Bristol Shoes, covering everything from loafers and derbies to sandals and Mary Janes.
Bristol Shoes and Zapateria draw on generations of Marikina shoemaking, while Renegade Folk works largely by hand with local sapateros and Andanté produces its footwear in a Marikina factory.
Yes. Thy Roots, Jos Mundo, and Marquina Shoemaker represent newer approaches to Marikina footwear, combining local production with contemporary designs and references.
Marikina brands make a wide range of footwear, including loafers, oxfords, derbies, brogues, ballet flats, Mary Janes, mules, sandals, and low heels.
