It was the beginning of another semester at SoFA Design Institute when Amina Aranaz-Alunan scheduled an interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. Unlike past opening days, this one was particularly special as the staff welcomed students to their new home at The Proscenium Retail Row in Rockwell, Makati City.
Compared to its former location on Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, the new space is larger, offering more room for students to interact and bring their visions to life. SoFA Design Institute was established in 2007, and in some ways, the school's building was inspired by Amina’s own journey. Growing up, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in fashion, but at the time, there were no fashion courses or degrees focused on designing clothes.
Together with Loralee Baron-Soong, Amina co-founded the school, which soon gained street credibility as the country's go-to institution for design and fashion.
“When I was in high school, I knew that fashion was my path, but there were no options,” Amina shared. “After attending Marangoni and experiencing what it’s like to live and study in a fashion capital, I felt that the Philippines needed something. It started with a dream that one day Manila would be a fashion capital. Part of that dream was legitimizing fashion education and professionals. Fashion can’t all be self-taught or viewed as just a hobby. That’s what led me to establish SoFA.”
Before becoming the co-founder and president of SoFA Design Institute, Amina was first an accessories designer. With her mother, Becky Aranaz, already in the bag manufacturing business, it was a natural step for Amina to pursue a professional career in fashion. After studying an interdisciplinary course at Ateneo de Manila and gaining formal education in fashion at Istituto Marangoni Milano, Amina set out to establish Aranáz in 1999. Together with her mother and sister Rosanna Aranaz, she aimed to elevate Filipino fashion and bring it to the international stage.
In a conversation with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Amina reflects on her early days as an accessories designer, the challenges she faced as the leader of her brand, and SoFA’s role in shaping the future design leaders of the Philippines.
What inspired you to become an accessories designer?
I would say that I was born into it. My mom had a bag business ever since I was born, and I was always interested in fashion from a very young age. I didn’t proclaim that I would be a fashion designer or an accessories designer, but I was definitely into fashion and the arts.
She had a bag factory and was also interested in fashion, so we were exposed to it early on. One of my activities as a child was playing dress-up with my mom's wardrobe. I remember she had a chest as tall as I was. Every drawer was filled with accessories from the ’80s—big, bold, chunky, and colorful. I would just have fun, opening the drawers and playing around.
What were the initial challenges you faced when you launched Aranáz?
We were blessed that the market embraced the brand. I grew up in a generation that patronized imported brands because there weren’t many local options. Introducing a Filipino brand was a challenge for us. At that time, wearing a handmade Filipino bag was something people typically associated with souvenir shops; it wasn’t viewed as a fashion item. I wanted to challenge that notion. We were pleasantly surprised that the market resonated with our vision. To this day, I would say everyone is proud to support a local brand.
Was it hard to penetrate the international market?
When we officially started the brand from 1998 to 1999, the dream of making it an international brand was there. We began launching internationally in 2012, which felt like a long time because we didn’t know what to do. Unlike other local brands that made it abroad, we operated in the Philippines and didn’t have offices overseas. One of the main things that helped us was Manila Fame. It became our practice ground.
I was part of a group called Manila Wear, spearheaded by designer Josie Natori. She gathered designers who could eventually export their brands. I also undertook some initiatives on my own, but that practice allowed me to travel abroad for trade shows and connect with agents. Sometimes, I would travel with people from Manila Wear or a group of Filipino designers.
It took time to understand how to create wholesale prices, lookbooks, and line sheets—skills that weren’t taught in school, especially back then. Marangoni didn’t teach me these things because I took a design course. They, however, did teach me about branding, and I worked on Aranáz's branding while I was there.
When was the moment you felt you had finally made it?
It was when we started to seriously bring our brand internationally. My sister and I created a wish list of all the stores where we wanted to see our brand displayed. I can say that we have managed to cross off each store from that list. For us, that’s validation that the handmade Filipino bags we create are worthy of being on the same shelves as the international brands we once looked up to. To be among them is validation.
Our bags are our way of telling the Filipino story to the world. That’s why, if you buy our bags, you’ll see info cards stating, “a piece of Filipino culture in your hands.” One of the hashtags we frequently use is #WithLoveFromThePhilippines. It gives people a glimpse into the tropical Filipino lifestyle.
Let’s go back to SoFA. Can you tell us more about the new campus?
It was designed in collaboration with interior design students and faculty, with consultation from interior designers and SoFA board members Ivy and Cynthia Almario. The space is symbolic of the design process—a blank canvas.
When you enter the lobby, you’ll find the Think Tank. As you walk through, you’ll see curves that guide you through the design process, from the research and design lab to the collaboration space. The Collab Cove is one of the new features; it’s a multi-purpose room used for events, fashion shows, and exhibits. We also have a photo studio and workspace for students, along with a lounge for them to relax.
What have you learned from your students?
One of the unique aspects of our teaching at SoFA is our approach to the design process and inspiration. We encourage our students to incorporate their personal stories and perspectives into their designs. That should be the starting point—not something external or disconnected from their own experiences.
When I interact with students, it is on a personal level. Through their work, you can glimpse their innermost selves. The last class I taught was before the pandemic, and those sessions were, in some ways, therapeutic. There were emotions, even tears. They use design as a form of therapy and a tool for empowerment. Through them, I saw how design can be transformative; creative work is not mechanical or soulless. This might be biased, but it is a privilege to be a designer and to be exposed to other designers. It is a profession—a calling—that embodies one’s entire being.
What are you most proud of?
I’m proud that I can do what I love. No matter how stressful or overwhelming it gets, I approach everything with love. With Aranáz and SoFA, I have always been guided by my heart. Some might see it as a flaw that I lean toward heart over mind, but I feel that what I do doesn’t feel like work because it is so true to who I am. Design is where I live and where I can always be found. I cannot imagine a life outside of design or what I am doing.