Feel Manila’s Beat Christian Louboutin celebrates the creative expression of the Craftsmanship from the Philippines
As the world's most densely populated city, Manila, the capital of the Philippines is also known for its traffic. “The traffic is very intense in Manila; when you’re stuck in it, you literally can’t do anything but look around”, says designer Christian Louboutin. “All you can see is a sea of jeepneys! The symbols of Manila, they embody the quintessence of Filipino creativity, strong colours associations and mythological references” he adds.
“The symbols of Manila, they embody the quintessence of Filipino creativity, strong colours associations and mythological references.”
The bright, kitschy decorated jeepney is the most popular mode of transport in Manila among the locals as well as tourists and each vehicle is it’s drivers personal pride and joy, often completely personalised from a colourfully decorated exterior - including name plates, headlamps, paint jobs, and sometimes equipped with special "laughing horns", boom boxes, to reams of LED lights on the hood which blink in tandem with the brake lights.
Inspired by this public art on wheels, Louboutin collaborated with a group of indigenous female artisans to create MANILACABA Treasure totes, featuring hand-woven textile T’nalak with embroidery and sequin design. You will see a collage of jeepneys inside the tote with words like "Makati," "Philippines," "With Love," and "No Selfies." It’s flat top handles finished with Louboutin’s signature spikes.
As they say in Manila, and as travellers will hear in every conversation “Gusto ko ito!” which translates to ‘I want this!’
