In her latest collection, Ditta Sandico takes a walk down memory lane, rediscovering her passion and love for the Mangyan culture and heritage.
Ditta Sandico has released a new collection that explores her past adventures. In it, she draws inspiration from her childhood adventures with her father. As a result of these trips, which frequently took her off the usual route, she developed a love for nature and a profound respect for indigenous cultures.
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Uplifting Fashion
The esteemed designer found inspiration in a unique weaving technique that is slowly fading with time. Ditta profoundly referenced her early experiences with Mangyan weavers in the Mindoro mountains. They taught her the nitty gritty of the rag trade. However, as she worked with the tribe for years, she was hurt to learn that their weaving customs were disappearing.

Banaca Vest with Mangyan panels
Her determination fueled by her creativity and compassion toward the Mangyan and their craftsmanship pushed her to create a local School for Living Traditions (SLTs) in the area. She was heavily inspired by the art of Mangyan weaving—the habol.

Mangyan skirt and slides with Banaca vest and Mangyan panels
She wanted to train more people from the community to be knowledgeable of the craft and how to take pride in their art. She encouraged 30 young Mangyan weavers to take on the challenge of continuing their heritage through weaving. Such a feat is the backbone of her collection, emphasizing the importance of pride in one’s art and the value of one’s cultural heritage.

Mangyan vest and corset
According to Ditta, maintaining the Mangyan weavers’ art is their largest obstacle. They must be given the assistance they require and continue to hone their craftsmanship. Despite the challenges, she believes in the future of the Mangyan habol. She continues to champion high-quality, ethically sourced materials crafted by talented indigenous artisans.
All photos by Arthur Tselishchev courtesy of Ditta Sandico.