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Designer Camille Villanueva wears her own ruffled jusi cocktail dress.
Making sure to use sustainable Filipino materials that include Iloilo woven cotton and Bacolod handwoven silk, Camille Villanueva describes her design style, “I like the understated with clean lines—feminine with modern and clean silhouettes that celebrate the woman’s form, rather than hide it.” The young designer supports arts and culture, particularly dance, because of her ballet and flamenco background which is evident in her trim figure.
Born and raised in Bacolod, she grew up with her beautiful Lola Gloria and Lolo
Mario Villanueva. Since he was a Bacolod mayor, they were a very stylish couple during the heydey of the Negrense sugar industry boom. Large social parties held in their ancestral home were commonplace, coupled with regular travels abroad.
Tank-top handwoven pattern and hand-dyed silk from Bacolod
Moving to Manila for college at 16, Camille switched to fashion design at 22, specializing in reworked vintage dresses that she sold in her boutique, aptly named Baul. London was the next step as she joined the fashion design program of Central Saint Martins at 24. She was able to pair off studying with a working experience in a British tailoring company before moving to the prestigious Louis Vuitton and Bottega Veneta.
Bacolod handwoven silk shift dresses perfect for summer weather.
Returning to Manila, she slowly built her brand under her own name “Camille Villanueva.” Since it was the beginning of the pandemic, she started with made-to-order pieces. Slowly, normalcy returned and, joining the regular Artefino bazaars in Rockwell, she built up her name. A new dress collection, including a bag line, will be showcased this July and this early, her young clients are looking forward to the new fashion line.
Egyptian cotton tube tops in handwoven pineapple cotton from Bacolod, paired with handwoven cotton skirts from Iloilo.
Camille shared her formula: “I promote slow fashion and sustainable fashion. Making clothes, when ordered, and I wholeheartedly support local communities.”
The latest barong dresses in varying lengths, as well as the linen jackets in various color options, are the most popular choices with her youthful clients. Made to order is by appointment in her Salcedo Village atelier in Makati.
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People can find her designs at IG @camillevillanueva and on her website www.camillevillanueva.com or camille@camillevillanueva.com.
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