CORAZ is named after my grandmother, Corazon. She was one of my earliest influences growing up. I often watched her design and sew garments for people in our community, including pieces for my own family.

One of the moments that left the biggest impression on me was when she designed and made a cultural dress for me to wear while performing the Filipino dance Subli. That was the first time I truly saw her craftsmanship up close. The garments were colorful and expressive, designed to move beautifully with the dancer. Seeing my grandmother create something so intricate by hand made me realize how powerful clothing could be, not just as something we wear, but as something that tells a story.

Whenever I visited her home, there were always garments hanging nearby, mannequins standing in the room, and her sewing machine out with pins, thread, and fabric scattered across the table. Creation was simply part of her everyday life.

Later in life, when I decided to name the brand after her, I learned even more about her story. Her love for fashion began when she was young, designing and sewing dresses for herself. Over time she continued developing her craft, often using my mother and my aunt as her models while creating beautiful pieces for them. She also designed both of their wedding dresses.

Eventually she opened her own clothing store in the Philippines called Marilanda, a name created by combining my mother and aunt’s names. I later discovered that she also owned several other businesses. Realizing how much we had in common, a love for fashion and the desire to build something of our own, made the connection feel even more meaningful.

Although she is no longer here, creating CORAZ feels like a way of staying connected to the woman who inspired me as a little girl.

This brand is my ode to my lola, my grandmother, who showed me that fashion can be expressive, personal, and deeply connected to identity. She was more than a designer and a seamstress. She was warm, strong, creative, and endlessly passionate.

CORAZ exists to carry a piece of her spirit forward, creating pieces designed with intention, confidence, and individuality in mind.

And I hope that, in some way, it would make her proud.