Alixia Marie PH creates modern fashion using weaves from Filipino craftsmen --[Reported by Umva mag]

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By Edg Adrian A. Eva

ALIXIA MARIE PH, a young Filipino fashion brand, is supporting local artisans by using indigenous weaves from various regi ons in modern casual fashion.

“One of our taglines is ‘Carry your culture,’” company owner Alixia Mercado said in an interview. “We want to bring their weaves into the spotlight.”

Alixia Marie PH started as a thesis project in 2022, aiming to gain profit while helping local weavers. The startup curates pieces that embody Filipino craftmen’s rich heritage and skill, offering a platform for their work to shine.

The company started creating fashion pieces using solihiya — thin strands of rattan woven into sunburst patterns which, when used as the backrest and seat of chairs, lets air through, providing comfort from the heat.

Alixia Marie PH is working with local weavers from Cebu to source solihiya and turn it into trendy bags.   

The company also gets indigenous weaves from other provinces including Yakan from South Cotabato, Binakol from Ilocos, T’nalak from Mindanao to create women’s tops and dresses.    

They have also partnered with Marikina artisans to assemble their custom-designed shoes and bags.   

“Our goal is to focus not only on one local community but also on different communities altogether,” Ms. Mercado said. “We want to showcase a different community that has their cultural weaves.”

In her work with local weavers, she noticed that some of the weaving traditions are at risk of dying out due to threats from counterfeiting and lack of interest among the youth, primarily due to their unprofitability.

“Local weaves were dying at some point, so brands like us help revive the local weave industry and help them continue it for the future generation,” she said. 

In the preservation of Filipino indigenous weaving culture, Ms. Mercado hopes that more brands will support local weavers. 

“It should not stop here. We want our next generation to celebrate our culture and to celebrate Filipino identity in terms of Filipino weaves,” she added.

Ms. Mercado sees a silver lining in state initiatives to revive indigenous weaves through trade fairs organized by the Department of Trade Industry.

These efforts could be bolstered with more funding and support for weavers to elevate their craftsmanship, she added.

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