Tippi | Tippi Ocampo

What’s On (& Around) My Desk

Posted by Tippi | Sep 14, 2011 | The Tippi Point |

At work and at home, my desk is my favorite place of creative refuge. It’s where I answer emails, map out trips and research new things. It is also where I sketch and design, sort swatches and spread out fabrics, browse through magazines and make mood boards, journal and blog–basically, it’s where I dream when I’m not asleep in bed. People are always surprised at how neat my work desk is, so I must confess an obsessive-compulsive tendency to tidy up my space at the end of the day no matter how busy things are, and how messy things are sure to get again the next day. I need to start the day with a clean desk top (same goes for my Galaxy Tab–nothing littered on the desk top and everything filed away! Okay, so I’m a neat-freak, LOL) I’m obsessed with newly sharpened yellow pencils and have to have a full box’s worth on my desk, all the time. And I need natural light! A clothes rack of cocktail dresses near my desk where I work on new designs. Another rack of clothes–these are mostly sample gowns from shows. Reference books, Vogue magazines, Galaxy Tab 10.1, sketches, pins, colored pencils (in box), regular pencils (in mug) sketchpad, antique letter opener…& Ray-Ban sunnies. Peeking at people’s desks is like looking inside their purses…so what do you keep on, and...

Weaving the Future

Posted by Tippi | Sep 14, 2011 | Fashioning Design |

The Fashion & Design Council of the Philippines (or FDCP) presented an updated, 2011 version of its prestigious Philippine Fashion Design Competition around three months ago, on June 28, over a Filipino lunch at Martini Bar in Mandarin Oriental. The theme of the competition was titled “Weaving the Future”, and focused on encouraging future designers, in both apparel and accessories, to utilize local weaves and materials in their competition designs. Now, the Philippine Fashion Design Competition is especially close to my heart because it was the first and only fashion competition I ever participated in. That was back in 1999, when winners were chosen to represent the Philippines in the Concours International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode in Paris, France, and I was lucky enough to have been chosen along with Mario Rotersos, Dennis Lustico, Alex Pigao and Dong Omaga-Diaz (who was the grand prize winner that year). This year though, unlike FDCP’s past Philippine Fashion Design Competitions, the 2011 version focuses on a more socially-conscious and environmentally sustainable design vision. “Weaving the Future” aims to develop the local fashion design industry into a more integrated industry that discovers and nurtures new design talents, while benefiting the local weavers and textile industries as well. A mini fashion show with modern Filipino designs by FDCP members and past Philippine Fashion Design Competition winners using local weaves like piña, jusi, abaca,...

Fashion Street

Posted by Tippi | Sep 13, 2011 | The Tippi Point |

Just like street food, some of the best ‘unsanitized’, unfiltered fashions come from the street. In most countries the street is like a giant petri dish of fashion, where anything goes and experimentation abounds. Many designers gather their inspirations from the way people dress on the street and turn those inspirations into upscale collections that slowly filter their way back down to the street again…before turning another cycle. Rather than criticizing street fashion as being too common, low-brow or bas couture (the opposite of haute couture), it should be celebrated for what it is…an inspiring, democratic, free-for-all expression of fashion. This woman’s leather & boots combination paired with a colorful jacket.. …and this little girl’s prim and proper velvet dress & tights… …made a contrasting Mom-&-child combination! The Italian carabinieri are some of the best-dressed police on the streets! (I’d like their navy jacket in my size please…) These Japanese teens love their crazy baby doll dresses accessorized every which way. This lovely Japanese girl was waiting for a bus in a vintage-print dress, pearls & a faux-fur collar. These teens were waiting to hit the clubs with neon-colored hair, animal prints, fur & distressed denim. An older couple taking an afternoon stroll–I love her rust colored swing coat matched with her cropped silver hair Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook share via Reddit Share with...

Not By the Book: “Jeepney” Dress

Posted by Tippi | Sep 12, 2011 | Not By the Book |

A look at the journey from inspiration to fashion runway… Sometimes the journey from inspiration to the fashion runway takes the form of distilling a design and reducing it to its simplest elements, like in the case with this colorful, over-the-top jeepney… From its original sketch (that I did years ago for a design competition) which included many crazy elements found in a jeepney like multi-colored satin ribbons, etched chrome accessories and airbrushed sunset scenes… …to its streamlined exhibit piece… …to the fashion runway! “Not by the Book” is currently available in all Powerbooks outlets, select National Bookstores branches & all Best Sellers bookstores. It is now also available in Fully-Booked Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt 5, Shangri-La Edsa, Greenhills, Eastwood, Trinoma & MOA. You may also order the book on-line. For orders please email order@notbythebook.net (free delivery via 2GO within the Philippines). Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this...

Changing World

Posted by Tippi | Sep 11, 2011 | The Tippi Point |

It’s been 10 years since the 9/11 attacks that changed the world irrevocably, for better or for worse. Being the stubborn optimist that I am, I like to think that it’s been for the better–a decade later I believe people have grown less materialistic and more compassionate. At the least, people have grown more aware of our interconnectedness with each other, and that the acts of a few can determine the fates of many. If it can work with acts of terrorism, it can definitely also work for its polar opposite, which is acts of altruism. Right now it’s New York Fashion Week, and as the world gets smaller and Paris Hilton and Donald Trump find their way to the streets of Manila, Philippine fashion (through BryanBoy, Josie Natori, Monique Lhullier, Michael Cinco, Danielle Magpantay, Runway Productions, etc.) finds its way to the avenues of the Big Apple. Through twitter & facebook the world is uniting in places where we used to be divided, and ideas are exchanged faster than you can press ‘comment’. It is during these times when I feel that the smallest things can make the biggest difference, when the concept of a ripple spreading outward seems more like a concrete act than an ethereal thought. I believe that with simple acts like doing what we love–whatever that may be, because nothing is too small or menial–and...

Author: Tippi

What’s On (& Around) My Desk

Weaving the Future

Fashion Street

Not By the Book: “Jeepney” Dress

Changing World

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