Italian-born designer creates intimate apparel that perfectly fits the Filipina market

It all started when Fabiola Marin, an Italian-born designer, had an idea to serve Filipino women by designing high-end lingerie and swimsuits specifically to embody the confidence that Filipina women possess. And after years of research and conceptualization, Marin felt that this is now the right opportunity to introduce Vanita, which she hopes will be appreciated and loved by the Philippine market.

Marin took her interest in fashion design at the Istituto Marangoni Fashion and Design School in Milan, one of Europe’s leading fashion and design schools where renowned designers like Gianni Versace and Gianfranco Ferré had trained. For 15 years, Marin worked as a senior design manager for the Intimissimi Group, which started in the mid-1980s, came up with its own brand in 1996, and to date, has over 10, 000 Intimissimi shops in almost 20 countries.

Together with her husband Guiseppe, Marin began eyeing possible markets like the Philippines where Vanita could fully achieve its full potential as the top choice of women when it comes to intimate apparel.

Why the Philippines? Marin, together with Agnes Ventura-Roscigno, the general manager of Gruppo Solare, compare Vanita to the distinctiveness of the Filipina. Marin personally selected special styles and designs that include exclusive lace, sophisticated fabrics and colors that harmonize well with the country’s seasons. Ventura-Roscigno, on the other hand, exemplified the modern Filipina as a strong, well-accomplished individual. She is proud of being a Filipina and humbled by the successful stories of Filipino women who made it to the top of their respective fields. 

Interestingly, Vanita resembles the word “vanity,” which is a fitting word for this brand. Its creators say that every woman wearing her own Vanita “little black dress” would feel romance embracing her body and enhancing her grace as an empowered individual. But in actuality, Vanita traces its origin from a Hindu word “vanita,” which means the “essence of a woman.” 

Vanita consists of three distinct yet complementing lines—Donna, Fiore and Blu—all of which are exclusively designed, dedicated and sold to Filipino women. According to Marin, during the development process of Vanita, she and her team considered two things. First is the contour of the Filipina body since fit is a key determining factor in choosing such products. Second is the Filipina’s own self-perception. Here, Marin’s team tries to capture this by blending the colors, style, designs, creativity and tone.

As for the product’s quality, Marin herself leads the design and quality teams, using advanced Italian systems, as well as European and Japanese machinery to ensure the highest quality and efficiency. Fabrics, colors and accessories are also thoroughly tested.

Raul Littaua, the company’s partner in charge of marketing, says the price range for items like brassieres is from P1,500 to P2,500, depending on the intricacies of the embroidery. Corsets go for approximately P6,000, while swimwear averages P2,000. 

The Vanita collection can be viewed at its website (www.houseofvanita.com). Interested customers can contact the company through the website or phone after which a representative from Vanita will be sent to provide personalized services. For those who are interested to see the collection up close, the Vanita lounge is located at the penthouse of the Citibank Center in Makati City.

IN PHOTO -- Fabiola Marin and Agnes Ventura-Roscigno, Gruppo Solare general manager. Rhoy Cobilla