CECILIA CAPARAS APELIN
Founder and CEO, Ciel Creative Space, cielcreativespace.com, @cielcreativespace
Look: Kaftan
Cecilia Caparas Apelin, the founder and CEO of Berkeley’s Ciel Creative Space (cielcreativespace.com), is forever coming up with new ways to showcase creativity and individual persistence and strength. Her latest: challenging the traditional ideas of Filipina beauty and womanhood. She recently brought together some of the Bay Area’s leading creators—including herself—wearing modern Filipiniana pieces from VINTA Gallery (vintagallery.com).
“This shoot really allowed me to dive deep into the layers of my truth, which includes understanding my Filipino culture and what it means to be Filipina American in our modern world. With Ciel being a home for creatives, I felt an urge to highlight my community in the best way I know how—through fashion and photography. With our collective lights shining together, our hope is to show others how beautiful it can be to follow your heart, break generational patterns of trauma and pave a new way for future generations of Filipina Americans.”
RIA FAUST
Photo producer, riafaust.com, @riafaust
Look: Pleat-front camisa
“The Filipina archetype is Maria Clara, a well-mannered lady who is meant to be seen and adored. It’s designed to restrict women and opposes our native legends and folklore, which depict men and women as equals. These photos turn the Maria Clara idea on its head. We may be wearing the traditional Filipiniana butterfly sleeves, but the attitudes are confident and challenging.”
DJ UMAMI
Open-format DJ, djumami.com, @djumami
Look: Tulle camisa
“I was lucky to grow up in a neighborhood where the majority of kids were also first-generation immigrants—South Asians and Latin Americans. We developed a culture of open-mindedness without even knowing it, embracing each other’s cultures, especially through food. We had similar struggles with our families. It made it easy to be proud of our individual cultural differences.”
DEV HEYRANA
Artist, heyrana.studio, @_heyrana
Look: Terno mini dress with fringe
“I love and celebrate the skin I’m in—fearless like I am when I hold a brush.”
