south BOUND

Journey to the creative landscapes of DAVAO, where GOLDIE SIGLOS, WILSON LIMON, and STEFFY DE MYLO carve their own paths.

- TICIA ALMAZAN

DEBUTS, PAGEANTS, AND WEDDINGS—for a while, Davao’s fashion scene revolved around these three things. “I’ve seen a lot of designers here in Davao who are really into gowns,” says Wilson Limon. That was the stereotype, Goldie Siglos says, “especially in a small town.”

Growing up in the capital of southern Mindanao, young creatives like Wilson and Goldie didn’t consider fashion as a viable career path. The same was true for Steffy de Mylo, who was raised by traditional parents to become an accountant and entrepreneur.

Yet, the three set their sights far into the horizon. Recounting early memories, the creatives recall seeds that were planted long ago. Wilson’s second home was the shop of his uncle, the family’s breadwinner who designed uniforms and other garments for a living. As early as age seven, Goldie was fascinated by the way her older sister would paint her eyes with eyeliner. A self-confessed rebel, Steffy spent her childhood outdoors, covered in mud and soaked in rain.

Look closely, and you’ll find pieces of these memories in the clothes they create. Garments that transform, uplift, and empower not just their wearers, but their makers, too.

WILSON LIMON Creative Director, Niñofranco

WHEN TRAVELERS JOURNEY TO THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE PHILIPPINES, IT’S OFTEN IN PURSUIT OF AN ARDUOUS, DAYS-LONG HIKE. But that wasn’t the case for Wilson Limon, at least not in October of 2014: “I went to the foothills of Mount Apo to meet a weaver.”