Lexus celebrates the unique vision of Zacarias 1925’s creative director, which is to weave identity through history and deeper forms of expression
Rita Nazareno’s journey as an artist began at a very young age.
“My grandparents constructed a building in 1969, named after my grandmother Segundina, which housed the S.C. Vizcarra flagship store and its offices,” she says. “The top floor was where my family lived until I was about five years old. The building was designed by the Mañosa brothers and even had relief details by the sculptor Caedo, a friend of my grandfather Zacarias, on its side.”
If given a chance to design a vehicle interior, Nazareno would use wicker, chair cane, and leather.
S.C. Vizcarra was founded in 1925 by Rita’s grandmother. Almost every day busloads of Japanese and American tourists would come and buy carefully selected handicrafts, from wood carvings designed by her grandfather to Barong Tagalogs, fans, intricate textiles, and antiques. At the checkout counter, the young Nazareno would help package the handmade bags in S.C. Vizcarra boxes.
Nazareno would spend most of her time after school in her grandmother’s studio on the fifth floor, where she would see the embroiderers and sewers at work.
“I loved it,” she recalls. “The oldest embroiderer, Aling Pina, stayed with us until she died in her 80s. Our amazing welder, Lito, does all the metal frames for our bags and home accessories now. His father, Tony, worked with us and I remember playing with him all the time. The people made an impact on me, too. I had other dreams—basically to work in television and in film. But somehow, I always knew I’d come back.”
Today, Nazareno is the creative director of Zacarias 1925, a brand of handwoven bags and home accessories that places a contemporary thrust in the traditional craft of handweaving, referencing a varied array of disciplines, such as contemporary art, architecture, and cinema.
Zacarias 1925 (with its products still exclusively crafted at the S.C. Vizcarra workshop) has shown at Maison et Objet Paris, Premiere Classe Paris, Pitti Firenze, Super Milan, Salone et Mobile, The Artling at ArtStage Singapore, and Watari Museum’s On Sundays.
Nazareno is also the co-creative director of Nazareno/Lichauco, where she has been collaborating with Gabriel Lichauco since 2016, curating collections, mentoring designers, and developing new product designs and concepts for numerous brands.
Nazareno’s interest in design began while growing up. Apart from her exposure to the inner workings of S.C. Vizcarra, her parents were also avid art and antique collectors in the ’70s.
They had a gallery in the basement of their home where they would take their guests. “I was in awe of every piece in there,” recalls Nazereno. “At the very back of it, there was a very ’70s, very cool conversation pit with this floor-to-ceiling muted orange carpet.”
The craftsmanship involved with weaving and a childhood immersed in art and design were a massive influence on Nazareno. Because of this, her insights about the craft are invaluable.
“Handweaving in the Philippines is special,” she says. “Each material has its own distinct values. The wood carvers in Laguna, the furniture makers of Pampanga, the paper sculptors, bone china manufacturers, and many more, are spread far and wide. They give our craft landscape this incredible breadth. But our designs, our creativity coupled with our skills and techniques—that mélange sets us apart.”
Lexus’s current design (the Spindle Grille) and production process (carbon-fiber weaving used on the LFA supercar, a unique Lexus design process using a circular carbon loom), is a nod to the rich and storied heritage of its mother company, which had its beginnings in textile weaving.
Nazareno’s family history is also intertwined with embroidery and weaving. When asked what makes this this craft special and why it is significant when it comes to our story as Filipinos, she says, “Craft promotes our heritage through use of our materials and techniques. Contemporary craft takes it further, making it compelling as a deeper form of expression is explored.”
To Rita, some examples of iconic Filipino designs are the Peacock Chairs made in Bilibid Prison, utilized by the Black Panther Party, which became iconic here and abroad; tropical brutalist architecture found in the CCP, PICC, and other structures of note; the Jeepney of the ’70s; and the sorbetero/dirty ice cream trolleys.
Among her own designs, perhaps one that is most recognizable is The Bilbao, an ergonomic and innovative bag from the Zacarias 1925 Architectonic Collection. “It was the first bag I designed, and also still one of our most coveted ones,” she explains. “It is an ode to the City of Bilbao and the Guggenheim, how the structure revitalized the old Spanish port city.
Frank Gehry, architect of the museum, was inspired by the ship’s sails that went through the port. So, for this bag, I looked at similar references. I also looked at some sort of parallax, where each angle gives you a different look. I designed it also so there’s an ergonomic portion—when one puts it on one’s arm, the side contours to the wearer’s hip. We also use a technique that we came up with—weaving leather and wicker together, with the leather sandwiched by wicker on each side. This gives more form to the leather.”
The thinking behind The Bilbao is similar to Lexus’ Tazuna concept for the driver’s cockpit, which rationalizes the location and ease of use of the controls and information sources, so that attention is focused on driving.
“I sometimes drive a Lexus in San Francisco and I absolutely love it so I’m very familiar with its intuitive design and craftsmanship,” says Rita. “Other times I drive my niece’s hybrid vehicle there, which I love as they are more sustainable than conventional cars. Hybrid cars emit much less greenhouse gasses so I’m very glad that they are now available here and that Lexus has a complete lineup of hybrids. It was quite lovely when Lexus reached out as its values of craftsmanship and a redefined luxury totally spoke to me.”
Automotive interior design is a very tactile exercise. Apart from looking amazing, the materials must feel a certain way that aligns with the brand. Rita is going for the look and feel of “refined luxury through craft
and ideas.” Lexus is also known for its takumi master craftsmen. These are the most senior craftspeople at Lexus, responsible for ensuring that superb quality is achieved in every stage of the car-making process. Nazareno is proud that the work of her weavers speaks for itself, and that they, too, are more than worthy of being given the honor of being called takumi.
Depending on the model, Lexus is known for utilizing traditional Japanese materials and techniques in its interiors (Kiriko glass ornamentation, Shimamoku wood ornamentation, sashiko quilting). If given a chance to design a vehicle interior, Rita would use wicker, chair cane, and leather. A shift toward a sustainable future has long been happening with Lexus.
The brand is a pioneer in hybrid and electric vehicles. Rita’s industry continues to espouse the beauty of handcrafted pieces. “It gives a soul and character to an object,” she says. “That is important. Coupled with good design, well then that’s just beautiful.”
For Zacarias 1925, Rita’s dream project is to create a museum or art center or design hub with programs to educate, inspire, and enjoy. She is looking forward to creating more bags and bigger art pieces.
As a brand, Lexus has taken on the challenge of creating a unique identity while being true to its heritage.
The same can be said for Rita, who is driven to create luxuriously innovative products that champion soul and character.
Hold a Zacarias 1925 piece in your hand, or slip into the interior of any Lexus model, and the result is an amazing experience which is poignant and meaningful. This is because each piece is the result of masterful
craftsmanship with a rich history, and with an eye toward the future.