By Pierra Calasanz-Labrador
@tinypoem on Instagram
From arm candy of European royalty to the pages of Vogue, Aranáz has been bringing Filipino craftsmanship to the global scene via their luxe, resort-inspired bags. Now for the first time ever, they’re collaborating with a homegrown retail brand to create a gorgeous capsule collection especially for the local market.
“Plains & Prints is a brand that I’ve always known and followed,” reveals Aranáz creative director Amina Aranaz-Alunan, who was thrilled when presented with the opportunity to team up with the popular retail brand. Celebrating almost 24 years in the business and going strong, Plains & Prints has collaborated with many designers through the years, but this year they wanted to do something different. Plains & Prints vice president Roxanne Farillas shares, “We wanted to do a collaboration not only with clothes, but also with bags. And who is the best to collaborate with bags? Aranáz!”
Months in the making, Aranáz for Plains & Prints is a modern and elegant yet practical capsule collection, featuring seven clothing pieces and four bag styles (a hobo, a clutch, a bucket bag, and an envelope bag) in different tropical patterns. We love how signature Aranáz prints—flamingos, coconuts, pineapples—are translated into fashion pieces that radiate summer sophistication, while handbags are exquisitely handcrafted using locally sourced materials. Roxanne’s favorite pieces include the Elena clutch in orange and the dreamy Carmen maxi dress, while Amina loves the clutch in classic black, the chic asymmetric Martina dress, and the pineapple-print Rocio dress with the ruffled hem, which she wore to the press preview. She also raved about the surprisingly roomy yet lightweight Stella hobo bag, which you can carry by the rattan handles, or worn crossbody with its genuine leather strap. (We also happily noted that all the pieces retail at a fraction of the price you would ordinarily pay for an original Aranáz!).
Clearly, the Aranáz for Plains & Prints collab is the perfect expression for the brands’ shared love for local. Did you know that Plains & Prints is one of the few major retailers that are still 90% produced in the Philippines? Says Roxanne, “This collaboration isn’t just a new fashion collection; it’s also a movement to showcase the work of creative visionaries and empower talented craftspeople in the Philippines.” Amina adds, “It’s always been our dream and our vision at Aranáz to bring local, handmade artisan products to a wide market, and with Plains & Prints, we can bring it to a nationwide audience.”
The seven-piece clothing collection is available at all Plains & Prints stores nationwide. The limited-edition bag collection will be available at select Plains & Prints branches. You can also shop online at Zalora, Amazon, and plainsandprints.com