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Monday, November 24, 2003
Negros entrepreneur success story
By Clara Mae Hortelano
CREATING a more personalized fashion accessory is what keeps the Cris Villacin Fashion Accessories going for the past two years in the trade, said its proprietor, Cris Villacin.
Cris said she really sees to it that all the fashion accessories she makes are "personalized" to avoid duplication.
Calling each of them a masterpiece, she said she does not mass-produce her products in order to maintain uniqueness.
"I was once also a buyer and I know that most women want to have a fashion accessory that is unique," she noted.
Humble beginning
Cris added her interest in making fashion accessories started when her friend gave her a locally made necklace from Boracay Island.
She got involved from then on and challenged herself to also come up with something similar, if not better.
A graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from the University of the Philippines in Iloilo City, Cris started to make only 10 fashion accessories by using indigenous materials, particularly beads.
She said it was initially only for her own collections and later, when she gained confidence she started selling her products to her friends and by word of mouth, to her friends' circle of peers.
Cris disclosed it was easy for her to adopt to the craft because of her background in Humanities.
"Fashion accessories is a work of art and it has its own story to tell," she said, adding that doing business has become both a hobby and a source of income.
Cris' big break came when her closest friend Lourdes Valderama, her sister in Bukas Loob sa Panginoon, offered her partnership at the Association of Negros Producers.
Cris said though that both she and Lourdes never became partners at the ANP because they individually produce their own fashion accessories under a certain code name for sales purposes.
The arrangement, she added, was that the membership was under Lourdes' name although they would share the booth expenses, among others, at the ANP.
Cris also said she owes all she has now to Lourdes who she considered as someone who helped her in the industry.
She said though that they have their individual identity in all the products they make.
Cris described the movement of their products at the ANP as "good", which she said signifies that they have a growing market now especially with this new fashion trend of big stones as a medium for fashionable necklace.
She said most their clients are from almost all walks of life but most particular of them are foreigners, young professionals, and the middle and upper classes of society.
Blessing
Cris noted that her sudden interest in making fashion accessories came as a blessing from God who she said is the source of her talent.
She also said she managed to regain the woman in her and that with her talent in the craft, she was also able to help her family financially.
Cris also said she is now concentrating on using indigenous materials for her fashion accessories as she challenges herself to come up with something new in her products.
Cris revealed that her ultimate dream is to export her fashion accessories.
She said that aside from ANP her products are available at Casino Filipino-Bacolod, Estelo at Lopue's, Litrato at Robinsons Place and Spirit at Plaza Mart.
She advised those aspiring to make fashionable accessories to be more competent in the products they make.
(November 24, 2003 issue)
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