The Portrait of a Woman

With fashion as his tool, young designer Jessan Macatangay is empowering women to break free and embrace sensuality

- MARIAN SAN PEDRO

When you’re raised in a culture of religiosity and conservative ideals, there’s a certain limit up to which you can freely express yourself, particularly through your craft. But UK-based Filipino designer Jessan Macatangay knew all too well that it was time to flourish beyond traditions, and embrace a bolder, freer way of asserting one’s individuality.

Before becoming the acclaimed artist that he is today, Macatangay was a licensed nurse in the Philippines. He had no idea what he wanted to do after graduating from high school since he liked a lot of things, but couldn’t figure out exactly what to pursue. The idea of taking up nursing was suggested by his mother—but his heart really wasn’t in the practice.

After he got his Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) license, the young designer started attending pattern-cutting short courses in Manila. The more he looked into the possibility of pursuing a career in fashion, the more he couldn’t stay off this track. Naturally, he learned about Central Saint Martins (CSM) in London, where he is now currently based. Eventually, he finished his Bachelor’s of Arts (BA) Degree in Fashion Design at CSM, and later took his Master of Arts (MA) in Fashion Womenswear, which he had just finished.

“For this last collection, my original research and inspiration was derived from the women I grew up with: my mom, sister, and other family members,” Macatangay shares. “Their fashion sense was constrained due to the Catholic culture in the Philippines. I always felt that they couldn’t express themselves the way they wanted because showing skin was considered risqué and frowned upon. It was like an unwritten rule that everyone knew and was stigmatized.”