Marikina-made shoes are known for their top-notch quality and expert craftsmanship that are at par with internationally known shoe brands. While the local industry had suffered a major blow in the past decades due to the economy's unfortunate decline, we're seeing a second renaissance with the help of young entrepreneurs. Now, thanks to Stride Collective, shopping for Marikina-made shoes has become a lot easier and faster.
Shoe entrepreneur Tal De Guzman recently launched the online marketplace last December. She put up the site initially with just her own shoe brand, Risqué Designs, available for purchase. Now, Stride Collective already houses 11 brands, with a few more to become available on the site soon.
In an interview with the local Marikina government, Tal shares her main objective is to have more people come to city that was once known for good quality shoes. Apart from this, Stride Collective also aims to empower the local shoe artisans, whom they partner with for their “unparalleled eye for detail and tireless passion.”
Check out all the brands that they house below:
Arvel & Co.
Arvel & Co. specializes in affordable footwear you can wear every day. They have a wide selection of stylish and comfortable pairs that will easily match with just about anything in your closet.
Andanté
Andanté is an Italian musical term that means "quite slowly," and this harks to their shoe-making process. A champion of slow fashion, the brand is committed to "safe and sustainable methods of producing handmade footwear for the better impact on stakeholders and the environment."
Artisatch
Yen Reyes of Artisatch believes that art and sensible footwear are a match made in heaven. And so, she produces Marikina-made shoes adorned with art inspired by Shui-mo Chinese paintings.
Bella Sorelle
Bella Sorelle is the perfect finishing touch to your laid-back OOTDs with their ultra comfortable and equally stylish pairs of sandals and shoes.
Inné
This local store is all about bringing locally-sourced materials, traditional shoe-making techniques, and expert Marikina craftsmanship together to provide you footwear fit for a modern wardrobe.
HolaLili
HolaLili will bring you a piece of our Philippine heritage with every shoe you purchase. They use handwoven textile made by local weavers that they also support.
Mika + Moko
This local brand started because they couldn't find the pair they wanted and so they made their own. What's more, their handcrafted pieces are made from genuine leather and recycled materials.
Quinntas
Quinntas started with handmade jewelry, and now they're bringing their fun designs to footwear you'll love to wear on the daily.
Risqué Designs
This brand is the brainchild of the Stride Collective. Here, Tal De Guzman champions Filipino-made pieces that speak modernity and luxury through the brand's meticulously hand-crafted artisan products.
Standard Edition
This local store will redefine the word basic. Their products are made by Marikina shoe artisans using locally and ethically sourced weaves from Camarines Sur.
Kandama Collective
Kandama was originally started by the Singapore International Foundation with the support of McKinsey & Company under the Young Social Entrepreneurs Program in 2016, which organized women in Kiangan, Ifugao as a social enterprise. The program provides economic opportunities to women, preserves the art of handloom weaving, and protects the environment, too.
More brands are expected to join their roster soon, like Aesca, Design & Style, La Filippine, Leveled by Risqué, Marquina, Habi Footwear, Rippletwyne, and Shoes of au.gust.
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