Everything is just a click away

Maximalist fashion designer Chito Vijandre celebrates the Manila Bulletin’s 125th anniversary by embracing technology’s boundless possibilities

Advances in technology have certainly made everything more convenient from the time I started as a designer.  

The weeks it would take for Paris Vogue or L’Officiel to arrive at my doorstep is now just a few seconds to get to the front seat of a show. Any information is a click away and the digital tools available make designing and communicating a lot easier.  

Creating your own prints or objects can be done instantly with 3-D printers and AI just opens so many possibilities, pushing the boundaries of creativity. 

The exchange of ideas flows freely through social media, swiftly effecting changes in the industry and the society as a whole.

Although I still enjoy the IRL sourcing trips to fabric markets and antique shops, finding pieces online to complete a look is indispensable, not to mention that it’s just physically impossible to have everything at once at your disposal without travelling to different parts of the globe. 

During the lockdown, this was a godsend because we were able to keep our store operational by ordering online and using zoom to explain designs to suppliers. We also managed to finish our book with graphic designers and printing staff miles away and mentored Ternocon’s emerging designers in the Visayas and Mindanao.  

The exchange of ideas flows freely through social media, swiftly effecting changes in the industry and the society as a whole.  

On a more personal note, science has improved the quality of living, from living a healthier life to looking and feeling younger. It has also allowed family and friends who have contracted HIV or cancer to stay with us longer, something that was unimaginable just a few decades ago.