Tina Silva-Navarro designs for real women

 
News: From shopaholic to super designer
By Pam Pastor
Inquirer News Service

"Our clothes highlight your assets and hide your flaws. I want women to feel good about themselves when they wear our clothes," she says.
It was Tina's own needs that jumpstarted her design career. "It's a little selfish on my part. I started designing clothes for myself. I only design items if I would wear them myself. For example, for 'bulging stomach days,' I made pants that would minimize that bulge and accentuate the length of my legs instead, or a shirt that would flatter my collarbones and draw the eye away from the stomach bulge."
She also has special pants for "Thunder Thigh Days." Evidently, Tina realizes that the world is full of women who have imperfect bodies. "Not everyone has the perfect body but we can surely try to make our bodies seem that way," she says.

The Store called Ilaya is located at the 2/F, unit 11D, Metrowalk Complex (beside MC Home Depot), Meralco Ave, Ortigas Centre, Pasig City. Contact Tina at 0920-9241808.

"They also have different body types. They liked the fact that they can dress up or dress down the clothes that we make. We got good response from them and they started referring me to their other friends who in turn did the same thing."
Tina's husband Jeff also played an important role. "My husband gives me his honest opinions and suggestions on the prototypes that are made before production. Being a man, he has his own ideas about what's flattering to women and what's not and though we may not always agree, I like hearing what he has to say," she says.
Tina named her line Ilaya, after a street in Divisoria. "We first purchased our fabrics in Ilaya when we started. We chose that name to remind us of the hard work and of our humble origins if we ever strike it big. "
In the fashion world, Ilaya is still a baby. Tina only started to focus on her fashion line last September. But a lot of women have already pledged allegiance.
"The idea basically is to make clothes for women that will be fashionable but not too trendy that it will be soon passe, comfortable but not sloppy and sexy without showing too much skin," says Tina.
Her favorite materials to work with are jersey and charmeuse stretch silk. "These fabrics drape so well and flatter the body amazingly but they're also hard to sew. I love the richness of brocade, especially the vintage ones. I love working with unusual fabrics because they give a very simple cut the extra oomph it needs. Denim, of course, will always be on top of my list for boleros, jackets and pants."
Tina is more of a draper; she's not big on drawings. People will be amazed to find out that Tina doesn't have formal training in design. "It embarrasses me a little when new clients ask me about my design background. I would like to do something about that in the future."
What she lacks in training she makes up for with passion. When asked about her inspirations, she gives us a long list.
"My friends inspire me a lot, that's why a couple of shirts are named after them. Their lifestyles, careers and even their moods give me something to work with... My mom's vintage clothes-she's 75 now so one can just imagine how many clothes have come and gone. The detail and drape of her thirtysomething and fortysomething-year-old clothes are amazing... The color, texture and drape of the fabrics I work with... Nicole Kidman, Kate Moss and Cameron Diaz. They make everything look effortlessly good, to say the least."
What a long jump from being just a shopaholic. "At least now, I've cut my clothing bills into one-fourth of what it used to be," she says.
Her bestsellers include the bolero ("We started making it for the Heaven Sent Bazaar last November 2004 and it's still one of our fastest-moving items."), the cropped pants, short jackets and the Princess Anne shirt.
The designs stand out and the prices are affordable. And the good news doesn't stop there.
"I make a limited number of pieces per design. Girls don't have to worry that there will be other girls in every corner of the mall wearing the exact same thing."
Tina remains humble despite her growing success. "I'm just taking each day at a time, making sure that my clients are very happy with the clothes that we make."
We're pretty sure she's going to make it big.

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