Dabawenyo fashion designer Arthur Andrade is redefining what it means to create. At just 23, he is turning garments into vessels of emotion, identity, and advocacy. With every collection, he brings stories to the runway — stories rooted in queerness, resilience, and the quiet power of the ‘overlooked.’
“I try to be everywhere and in everything creative,” he says. “But fashion has always been at the center of it all.”
He graduated with honors in Fashion Design and now leads his own label, Maison Andrade, as both designer and creative director. He co-owns Studio Arion, a photography studio focused on fashion editorials and visual storytelling. Recently, he also began teaching fashion at the Philippine Women’s College of Davao.
“It’s been a full-circle kind of ride. Designing, directing, shooting, and now teaching the next wave,” Arthur shares.
Before the accolades and titles, there was a child curating color-coordinated outfits and sketching dresses on MS Paint in a hospital office while waiting for his uncle. He remembers the exact moment someone told him to stop drawing “those kinds of things.”
“I still remember how much I hated that. So I hit Control plus N and went right back to designing dresses.”
As early as high school, fashion became his lifeline. He filled his notebooks with runway looks and turned diagrams of microscopes and tigers into design sketches. One moment still sticks with him, a friend once told him, "Ma-imagine kita maging designer, Thur." For a young boy who didn’t always feel seen, it was more than a compliment. It felt like a promise.
“Looking back, all those little things — my terno outfits, those MS Paint afternoons, those notebook sketches — weren’t little at all. They were the beginning.”
Arthur’s work is known for its bold and unconventional approach. He works with materials not typically seen in clothing, like book ring binds, metal fencing, and repurposed industrial hardware, but every piece begins with a story.
“There’s something exciting about turning the unexpected into something wearable,” he says. “But more than the materials, what really grounds my design process is the narrative.”
He draws inspiration from lived experiences, especially within the queer community. For Arthur, fashion is more than visual. It is emotional, political, and deeply human.
“Fashion, for me, is a tool for translation. I translate identity, tension, resilience, and even rebellion into form.”
“Fashion, for me, is a tool for translation. I translate identity, tension, resilience, and even rebellion into form.”
Arthur Andrade
He’s also been a firm advocate of genderless dressing. Men in skirts. Women in structured tailoring. Pieces that speak louder than stereotypes.
“Translating those voices into visual form is my way of holding space, of making a statement, and of celebrating identity through art.”
The power of black and white
Arthur is drawn to black and white, not just in design, but in life.
“While others might call it dull or repetitive, I see it as a canvas full of depth,” he explains. “There’s a certain beauty in limitation. When those stories take shape in black and white, stripped of distraction and full of intention, that’s when it all comes together for me.”
His designs may be monochrome, but they are never silent. Each garment reflects a carefully shaped story, an emotion made tactile.
Arthur didn’t always believe fashion was possible. After high school, he enrolled in Architecture, thinking it was the safer, more acceptable path. But it felt wrong.
“My architecture days were hell. I wasn’t excelling. I wasn’t growing. And worst of all, I wasn’t resting,” he shared.
Shifting to fashion design was one of the first major decisions he made for himself. He admits it was scary. But it finally felt like the truth.
“Passion can be just as practical when nurtured with patience and persistence,” he says.
“Passion can be just as practical when nurtured with patience and persistence.”
Arthur Andrade
UNstraightened: The collection that speaks
Arthur’s graduation collection, titled UNstraightened, marked his formal debut and his personal manifesto. The 10-piece collection challenged heterosexist norms and gave voice to the LGBTQ+ community. It won Best Fashion Design Thesis and the top award of the night, Designer of the Year.
“Each look carried a narrative, crafted not just with fabric and form, but with intention. UNstraightened was more than a fashion show. It was a message.”
Pieces from the collection have since been worn by Sarah Lahbati, Alodia Gosiengfiao, and Vince Maristela. But for Arthur, the real reward was finding his voice and being heard.
“This will always be the collection I hold closest. My beginning, my voice, and my first bold step into the industry,” he said.
To young creatives trying to find their place, especially those in the regions, Arthur has one core message: start.
“Go for what you really want to do. Even if it feels uncertain at first, you’ll eventually figure out how to earn from it.”
He also emphasizes the importance of mentorship and continuous learning. “A real, effective mentor doesn’t just teach you skills. They help you navigate the space with clarity, support, and direction.”
Most of all, he encourages artists to stay honest with themselves. “Find your niche. Stay honest with your voice. Nurture it. That’s where your uniqueness will shine — and where you'll start making real impact.” KBP