BEYOND AFFINITY

At the very atelier that speaks volumes about their admirable bond, Ivarluski Aseron and Jaggy Glarino put their creativity at work and share their most honest conversations

- MARIAN SAN PEDRO

WHEN DID YOUR FASHION JOURNEY START? 

JG: I can't really pinpoint because I've always been into arts-even dancing and theater. It helped hone my love for fashion since they're intertwined.

I started in the industry without the know-how-I faked it until I made it. I got an offer to be a head designer in a house in Abu Dhabi without really knowing how to make clothes. Then I got fired, and I went to school. It's really a leap of faith.

IA:I remember sketching at the back pages of my notebook during high school. My friend and I had a dream: I'll put up a shop, he'll put up a salon. In college, I was designing for some of my friends. I got accepted into the Young Designers Guild in 1999. Fashion is really a part of me growing up.

HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR IDENTITY AS A DESIGNER?

JG: Up until this day, it's still evolving. My experiences helped me find my particular niche in the industry. It's a work in progress.

IA: What I do now, most of it, I realize, I was sketching in college. I stuck to those design elements. I'm not saying I didn't evolve. Like I said, it's part of me.

HOW DOES YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS WORK?

JG: Now, most of my inspiration comes from my personal stories, my core. It's more organic, realistic, and relatable.

I think about what resonates with me on a personal level, then I create a design without it being too obvious.

IA: I've never done a moodboard in my entire career.

I only did it when I was a fashion student. What I do is I find myself zoning out because I'm thinking of design, pattern, and execution. I start with elements that I want to inject. Basically, the moodboard is in my mind.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH EACH OTHER? HOW DID YOU MEET?