Presenting the 'Written in the Stars' collection
For many years, humans have been staring up at the night sky. Some marvel at its beauty while others look for answers they cannot see on the land. Heavenly bodies have inspired numerous art works and sciences and have guided us to connect the dots on many things here on Earth. While there is still more to discover, one thing's for sure. When it comes to looking at the celestials, people can't help but dream.
That's where fashion designer Happy Andrada hails her inspiration for her latest collection. Dubbed as "Written in the Stars," her bespoke bridal collection speaks of the celestial sky with stars symbolizing hope, guidance, and faith—fitting themes for the world we live in today.
"My inspiration for this is the celestial stars," the designer tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. "At a time like this, it's important to have something hopeful to look up to."
Much like the stars above, the collection stands for various purposes. With its title, it manifests fate and destiny—from finding our match in this world to knowing our mission as a human. For the designer, "Written in the Stars" encapsulates her life as a fashion creative, celebrating her 15-year craft of bringing beauty and keeping local fashion alive.
"'Written in the Stars' is like a retrospective of my career as a designer," Happy explains. "It feels like its destiny and fate that the path in life that I took led me to be a fashion designer."
Whimsical and magical, the collection features 25 bespoke bridal robes, a hallmark design of Happy. In order to create such wonders, she used special textiles such as French lace, charmeuse silk, and satin. The end result is a beautiful array of off-white ethereal garbs celebrating sparkles, flounces, and textures. An added dose of fun are the embroideries she added on the pieces saying classic and dreamy phrases like "Infinity and Beyond" and "Ever After."
" unique as the outfits are versatile," she muses. "These bridal robes can be worn as gowns. Some clients wore robes as they walked down the aisle. They are also perfect for intimate weddings as they are comfy to wear and basically fits any body type."
Apart from working on the design, Happy also took time to echo the line's elegance with its campaign. The designer created an enchanting set with a vaudeville-esque moon and stars that looks like it is straight from a Georges Méliès film.
"At a time of digital art, I really wanted to do something different, something personal and it took me more than a month to finish it," she says. "I enjoyed working hands-on. I got inspired by vintage theater where the props are hand painted. Some of the pieces are hanged and some are layered to add more depth and dimension."
As divination also involves looking at the stars, the designer also played a fortune-teller, forecasting the future of fashion in our post pandemic world. According to her, "Fashion would be thriving still. I guess it really depends on the person, some will celebrate post pandemic wearing something really stylish and out there and some will be wearing something more sustainable and minimalistic."
Maintaining a strong 15 years in fashion requires more than just wishing upon a star. But if you're still looking up above for answers to your fashion dreams, all you need to do is to look deep within yourself, as the designer advises.
"Always do your best, study fashion designing, and get out of your comfort zone," Happy says. "Evolve and grow, don't stop, learn who to trust, always take care of your clients and be you--love yourself."
See more of "Written in the Stars" on shophappyandrada.com.
Photography: Rxandy Capinpin
Beauty: Aldrin Jaladoni
Styling: Dave Arden
Accessories: Christopher E Munar
Shoes: Catherine Vd Tol
Muse: Daiane Vittoni