Aegis PeopleSupport Joins Rags2Riches in Eco-Ethical Campaign

I'm really happy to learn about global brands taking significant steps to help the community and the environment.  Aegis PeopleSupport, the global leader in lifecycle management recently kicked off its first "Happy World Eco-Talk" at the Aegis PeopleSupport Center in Makati.

This partnership with emerging business enterprise Rags2Riches (R2R) aims to help educate BPO employees on how they can become "earth warriors" and actively take part in the Aegis PeopleSupport's "Happy World" Corporate Social Responsibility campaign.

R2R is a multi-awarded social business enterprise based in the Philippines. We are blessed to have attended previous events that launched the designs of Filipino couture designers like Rajo Laurel, Amina Aranaz-Alunan, and recently, Oliver Tolentino. The objective is to create high-fashion bags out of discarded materials through a process called “upcycling.” This essentially  helps conserve the environment while providing a sustainable source of income for the  mothers of the Payatas dumpsite community. Believe it or not, these mothers are the women-artisans who painstakingly weave the fabrics into the high-fashion bags that are sold in upscale stores, both in the Philippines and abroad.

Aegis PeopleSupport commissioned R2R to create bags designed by Rajo Laurel for the employees of the global brand. Taking it a step further, the company also volunteered to  provide free English proficiency seminars to the "nanays" of Payatas. The seminar was conducted by Aegis training arm, Aspire, together with their University Linkages Program and the Communications Department.

I'm really hoping that more private and international brands will follow suit. In this day and age, we need more companies who have the heart and courage to aim for the "triple bottomline" as beacons of change.

     An R2R artisan demonstrates how discarded materials are weaved and “upcycled” into high-fashion bags while R2R's CEO Reese Fernandez talks about eco-ethical lifestyle

Aegis PeopleSupport’s Vice President for Human Resources Jackie Barrios 

joined by R2R’s CEO Reese Fernandez-Ruiz

Lei Cadiz, Aegis PeopleSupport Senior Manager for Marketing; Jackie Barrios, Aegis PeopleSupport Vice President for Human Resources;  Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, R2R CEO; and Owen Maddela, Aegis PeopleSupport Communications Manager

Jigs Adefuin: Celebrating Philippine Art through Innovative Design

One cannot help but marvel at the newly renovated Suite 309 of LRI Design Plaza, the urban design hub along Nicanor Garcia Street in Makati City. This 68- square meter space is the new location of Adefuin Design Studio and couture furniture line AdOR Interiors, a venture of good friends interior designer Jigs Ranada Adefuin and business partner Oliver Ortiz.

At the launch of AdOR Interiors, classical Filipino music played by the Casa San Miguel String Octet resonated and helped set the mood for an artistically sublime evening. It was even more inspiring to learn that these young musicians are scholars of renowned Filipino violinist Coke Bolipata who was one of the guests that evening.

To further enhance the guests’ appreciation for Philippine Art, Adefuin exhibited rare paintings by National Artists Arturo Luz, Mauro Malang Santos, Federico Alcuaz, and other Masters like Romulo Olazo and Onib Olmeda.

Elegance in the Work Place

Adefuin’s opulent taste and modern flair are easily likened to Filipino poet Jose Garcia Villa’s style of art-for-art’s sake, but intricately married with the down-to-earth functionality of excellent design. His creations exude a perfect balance of sophistication and purpose, of art and innovation.

The use of tempered glass for the walls does not only create an illusion of space and allow natural light to filter into the reception area, it also draws guest’s attention to the imposing chandelier outside.

The room hints of a contemporary East-Meets-West concept conveyed through unique pieces such as the Victorian-inspired arm chair, Ming-style chair, Chinese console table, and Ashwood center table with vibrantly-hued accessories that also highlighted Arturo Luz’s “Palitana White Temple” acrylic on canvass.

The conference room features modern drop lights that illuminate a Ramon Orlina azure crystal sculpture, one of the key art pieces in the room.  A sprawling marble table and built-in shelves for various accessories from Adefuin and Ortiz’s private collection create a functional appeal to the room intended for creative discussions with partners and clients. Next to the conference room are the employees’ and owner’s work stations, replete with artistically stimulating elements such as various books on art and design, symmetric Ashwood tables for the staff, and the rest of the Luz and Alcuaz collections.

“Through my designs, I want to reflect my client’s ideals and lifestyle. I want to meet the thirst for artistic appreciation but bringing it to a level so that an ordinary Filipino will be able to understand, value and experience the timeless elegance of art,” said Adefuin.

Early this year, Adefuin received the “10 Iconoclasts” Award granted by the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) to its top ten outstanding alumni. He is a board top-notcher and one of the most sought-after Filipino interior designers today.

RIIR MaKULAY Collection by Oliver Tolentino

Last Tuesday, we had the privilege of meeting Hollywood's most in-demand  Filipino couture designer Oliver Tolentino at the RIIR MaKULAY fashion exhibit. RIIR really upped the ante with this awe-inspiring collaboration.

                          

Bright and warm tones were the couler de jour with the vibrant line-up of elegant handbags. The limited edition pieces showcased the ingenuity of Tolentino and the enduring craftsmanship of empowered women from the Payatas community who meticulously weaved the fabrics for the entire collection. Dubbed “MaKULAY,” a wordplay of “ma” (mother) and “kulay” (color), the collection paid tribute to the remarkable mothers in Philippine history through the exquisite splash of colour in Tolentino’s design. 

Gracefully poised muses decked in newspaper dresses were the canvasses for the hues highlighted in the RIIR-Tolentino MaKULAY exhibit attended by stalwarts in the fashion industry, enthusiasts, and advocates for eco-ethical style. The newspaper dresses were fashioned by innovative young designers Noelle Llave, Camille Co, Kaye Morales, Mark Tamayo and Nino Angeles from the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA).

Oliver Tolentino, one of the most celebrated international haute designers today is a homegrown talent whose slew of recognitions include being named Designer of the Week in March, 2011 at the prestigious Fashion Week El Paseo in Palm Springs, California, USA; winner of the Sustainable Eco Fashion Award in 2010 at the Islands of the World Fashion Week in the Bahamas; and one of the finalists at the Oscars Designer Challenge in 2010, among others. His collections have been regularly featured in international glossy titles like Beverly Hills Lifestyle, Serendipity, and Hong Kong Tatler.  His creations have been worn by three Grammy winners, two Emmy winners, an Oscar nominee, an NAACP Image Award winner, and by attendees at the esteemed Oscars and the Golden Globes Awards. Hollywood celebrities Cee Lo Green, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, Sophia Bush, Kimora Lee Simmons, Vivica Fox, Patty Austin, Macy Gray, Arnel Pineda, Lea Salonga, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Camille Grammer, Niecy Nash, Tatyana Ali, Eva La Rue, Wendy Davis, and Aly Michalka have all worn his designs.

Tolentino is known for promoting local fabrics and Filipino culture through his pieces. He is a staunch advocate of eco-ethical style.

                                       

                    Stylish celebrity Patty Laurel, also an RIIR advocate, hosted the show

The bags were named after empowered Filipino women Marcela Agoncillo, Corazon Aquino, Gabriella Silang, Marella Villavicencio and Lydia Tolentino.


                                       

This stylish bag was named after Lydia Tolentino, the designer's mother.

Mothers from the Payatas community are the passionate artisans behind the collection

RIIR successfully mounted the awe-inspiring MaKULAY runway show

Moving Forward by Steve Jobs

I came across this video of Apple's Steve Jobs delivering a speech back in 2005. It's a definite must-see.

Enjoy. :)

"You cannot connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking back."
   - Steve Jobs, visionary and co-founder of Apple, Inc.

Spring Fashion

I'm totally drooling over D&G's Spring/ Summer Collection. It successfully marries simplicity and elegance in this collection.

A Coffee Table Book and Schindler's List

I made a mental note halfway through the week. I will try to be productive and battle my propensity to hibernate during the holidays.

My first worthwhile activity this week was to watch Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" for the first time. I was only thirteen when it was first shown in the theaters - way to young to understand the realities of war.

I have deep respect for Spielberg, but this is one film that I just forgot to see. I'm glad that somebody was kind enough to lend me an HD copy of the film. I saw it twice in less than a week, even talked somebody into watching it with me. It was a gripping story, horrifying, and to me, life-changing.

                   The real Itzhak Stern and Oskar Schindler, central figures
                                           in the film Schindler's List
                                        


My second goal this week was to read a book. To my surprise, I finished an entire coffee table book in two days. It was actually a good read. It's called, "The House That Fried Chicken Built." Replete with snapshots and engaging narratives about a family's passion to serve the best home-cooked fried chicken. Authors Sonia Ner and Robert Basilio talked about how this tradition was passed on to the second and third generations, and how it captured the hearts of thousands and even millions of Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad.

                       The House That Fried Chicken Built Coffee Table Book


Grab a copy of the book at Max's Restaurant in Scout Tuason, Quezon City for only
PhP 2,500. Part of the proceeds will go to education program of the Edgardo Trota Foundation.

Dreading the Holy Week

My two-year old son sleeps soundly as I type away on a borrowed laptop. A few days ago, we took  him to Bonifacio High Street so he can run to his heart's content. After a couple of "Supah Strikas" episodes on Disney Channel, my son has learned to passionately kick anything that is round. It didn't matter if it was a football, tennis ball, or an orange (the round fruit).

When we reached Fully Booked, I was surprised with the volume of people who were at The Fort. It seemed like the Sunday family crowd were all there, times three. Apparently, everyone was observing the Stations of the Cross tradition at The Fort.

After much hesitation, we decided to follow the crowd and go through the different stations.

I was never really big on religious holidays, especially this one. As a child, I remember having nothing to watch on TV, and being terrified by stories and superstitions about Holy Week.

Right now, I'm just glad I took the walk. It was not the religious walk that I expected it to be. It was a peculiar, and "quiet" experience. At one station, scenes from my life just flashed through my head. At another, I was reminded of the evil things I've done in my life, and how blessed I am for the opportunity to start all over. The "walk" came at such an opportune time, when everything seemed to be centered on a lot of things except the ones that really mattered. Faith, hope and love.

Too bad, wasn't able to take photos. ;)

una

I'm really doing it!! I can't wait to start. :)