2023 Philippines Competition Accessory Category & Overall Winner
Andrei at the 2023 Phillipines Award Ceremony
Andrei Valera is a recent graduate of Fashion Design and Merchandising from De La Salle College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines. His passion for fashion stems from his love for the theatrical aspects of costume design, where he integrates elaborate storytelling into clothing construction, transforming conceptual designs into wearable art. Andrei was named the Overall Winner of the 2023 Philippines RLSD competition.
His winning design, “Turn Over”, explores the concept of humans being bound to time. The coat design symbolises the passage of time, using the contrast of light and dark to represent day and night. It reimagines the traditional Philippines national dress with a modern twist, incorporating cattle hide leather offcuts and inabel binakol, a woven textile from Ilocos Sur, Philippines.
Andrei’s winning item was displayed in the US Embassy, London at the 2024 International Competition Award Ceremony, and now forms a part of the Real Leather. Stay Different. capsule collection.
Josslyn Shi from California College of Art has been crowned Overall Winner of the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition at a glittering final event held at the U.S. Embassy in London.
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We asked you ‘how sustainable is your wardrobe’ and you answered us. The online quiz may have been designed as a bit of fun, but it also carries a serious message and we found the results pretty encouraging.
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