00:00Ang fashion ay hindi lamang sining ng pananamit.
00:03Ito rin ay pwedeng maging inspirasyon para sa kabuhayan.
00:06Silipin natin ng isang boutique,
00:08kung saan bawat design at style ay pwedeng maging business.
00:11Kasama natin si Diane Medina Illustre dito sa Negosyo Tayo.
00:16Panoorin natin ito.
00:22Sophia, can you tell us more about your journey when it comes to fashion designing?
00:28Kailan ka nagsimula?
00:30Well, honestly, I started when I was young pa.
00:33Ever since I was a kid, I've always dreamt of becoming a fashion designer.
00:37Yes, so ever since I've been drawing a lot.
00:40So I think that's been my passion ever since.
00:42So that's when I pursued it in college.
00:45So I studied in the U.S. Savannah College of Art and Design.
00:48And I graduated there in 2022.
00:51And I worked there for a while, almost a year.
00:52Tapos, that's when I realized that I want to pursue it back home here.
00:56So I can finally establish my own business, which is creating wedding gowns and evening gowns.
01:02Can you take us back when you were starting building your own atelier?
01:07Yeah.
01:08Well, when I was starting, I think I can describe it talaga as a leap of faith.
01:12Because I left my corporate job in the U.S.
01:16And I really wanted to pursue what was in my heart.
01:20It's been really fun because kailangan mo hanapin yung right market.
01:24That will really be right for your brand also.
01:27So it's been really fun kasi it's my passion talaga.
01:31And I'm really happy that my clients are continuously supporting me all the way.
01:37There are a lot of fashion designers out there in the market.
01:40So can you share with us what sets you apart?
01:42The main challenge that I've been facing, well, as a designer talaga, is how to...
01:48Mark your name.
01:49Yes, yes, of course.
01:50Of the business.
01:51Yes.
01:51And how to really market your own style to people.
01:55Because right now in the Philippine industry, when it comes to fashion, it's been kind of saturated.
02:00So it's hard that an emerging designer like me, I really have to know what will set me apart.
02:06May mga strategies ba ang isang Sofia Arante when it comes to fashion designing?
02:11The only strategy right now that I can really say is that I stay true to myself and it reflects through my designs.
02:18I try not to copy what's in the market, which is like the, you know, the classy dresses that you just see, like, that's very common to the market.
02:29I try to set myself apart from the rest by really sticking to my designs, which is like voluminous dresses, big silhouettes.
02:40So that's really me.
02:40So when people see, like, something like this with a pink tool or, like, materials na ganito, they would remember your name.
02:46Yes, they're like, okay, that's Sofia.
02:48Ano bang mga tips and advice mo, most especially sa mga katulad mo at a very, very young age who's already into business at a young age of 25 years old?
02:58My tip and advice lang talaga for aspiring entrepreneurs is never be afraid to ask help from people that are professional.
03:07In my experience, I'm lucky enough to be guided by my parents.
03:12So I can't, starting my business, it's all a risk talaga because you don't know if it's going to be a success or if it's going to, you don't know how to maintain it.
03:21So it's really better if you ask advice from people that know better than you.
03:27Every problem is a gift.
03:29Dahil kung wala ito, ay di tayo mag-grow.
03:32Yan po ang mindset ng business owner na si Sofia Carmela Arante.
03:35Tuloy-tuloy lamang ang pagbabahagi namin sa inyo ng inspiring business stories mga kanegosyo.
03:40Kaya naman tara, negosyo tayo!
