Can I tell you about…Jamie Henderson. She’s my second cousin but we only met a couple of years ago while I was in Los Angeles for an event. A few months later she came to New York for a girls weekend and we got to know each other more. I designed the handwoven leather #JamieEnvelopeClutch with her in mind; always on the go and always needing the option to go from day to night.

Can I tell you about Joanna Preysler. We met over 30 years when I was a fashin designer in the Philippines. Recently, we’ve been reacquainted through her social media and our mutual friend Dawn Zulueta. She’s a wife, a mother and an entrepreneur. She and her husband Raul Francisco founded Provenance Art Gallery and 8Rooms Creative Space in Manila showcasing Filipino artists and mentoring emerging tale

Can I tell you I first met Ayesha back in 2016 when ARK honored me at their fundraiser gala in New York. Since then we have become friends and I have helped her with some creative input with last year’s event. She is a force of nature; bubbling with energy, overflowing with ideas and optimism that is inspiring to be around.

Can I tell you, we all know that feeling you have when you meet someone and you just know you’re going to get along. That’s exactly how I felt when I met Alessandra years ago. We have a shared heritage and it’s something we are very proud of. We just get each other.

For a summer away from New York City, it might seem like there’s no better destination than the Hamptons. If it were up to Rafé Totengco, however, he’d tell you that being there would feel as if you hadn’t even left Manhattan. “I mean, it really is a fabulous location,” he says, but “I’m just not there.” On the weekends, the Rafé New York designer would rather be on the peninsula opposite the Hamptons, up in the North Fork. “I swear to you, your trip will feel so different if you just go away for two days. Just come out,” he urges, reenacting the convincing he had to do to get a few of his friends to come and visit. “Just come and see it for what it is, and you’ll see. You’ll come back.”

Can I tell you, although we’ve never met in person, Berna Romulo Puyat and I have come to know each other thanks to Instagram. We started direct messaging each other a few years ago when she posted a picture wearing one of my clutches given to her by a common friend. Berna has been a long time advocate for wearing Filipino design. In her role as the Philippines Secretary of Tourism she traveled everywhere in the country and through her I saw so many beautiful destinations I have since added to my bucket list. More recently, she has been appointed the Deputy Governor of Central Bank of the Philippines.

Can I Tell You…I have known Clair Concepcion-Barberis since the late 80s when I started my fashion brand in Manila. She and her best friends were rebellious teenagers who dared to defy the rules of their strict Catholic school to model for me. We had so much fun going against the status quo in those days. We kept in touch after I moved to New York and whenever I was in Manila, I would always make time to see her and the gang for a proper catch-up.

Can I tell you… I don’t know any mother who doesn’t love flowers. And if your Mom is like mine, she would love the Berna clutch. I have childhood memories of her going to her garden everyday; checking on her flowers and communing with them. I could see how much they made her happy, especially when they were in bloom. To this day whenever she sees flowers in bloom she cannot resist taking a

Can I tell you…do you want an instant mood booster this season? Add a colorful bag to your wardrobe this spring. It’s a fun and stylish way to express your personality and add some excitement to your looks. Spring is a season associated with renewal and rejuvenation, and incorporating bright, cheerful colors into your wardrobe can help you embrace that energy and positivity.