The MNY Spotlight
Mestiza x Habi Collection 2016
MESTIZA NEW YORK co-founders share familial ties to the Philippines. Creative Director, Alessandra Perez-Rubio, grew up in Manila and San Francisco and Chief Executive Officer, Louisa Rechter, hails from St. Louis but her mother was raised in Cebu. The duo pays homage to their Filipino roots through a partnership with the Habi Foundation.
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The Habi Foundation is a female-led organization that aims to help and develop the cottage industry and preserve indigenous Philippine textiles thus giving women a primary source of income.
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Each garment you see in the MESTIZA NEW YORK collection is hand-loomed in Ilocos Norte, a region in the Philippines known for its intricate diamond and floral designs.
 
The women gather under open-air huts with their wooden looms and weave one thread at a time, a technique that is centuries old and learned at a very early age. There are inconsistencies in the fabric but that’s what makes it beautiful and unique.
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When wearing a Habi x Mestiza garment, know that you are wearing something that helps women, preserves a centuries-old tradition and is uniquely yours for you to enjoy!
Posted on May 09 2016
Love the Habi stuff! I want one of everything!