Waking up to his brother Brian’s death in 2010, Michael Leyva has since struggled to continue in his sibling’s footsteps. And close to a decade’s worth of sleepless nights later, his hard work has paid off. Michael’s line of intricately-wrought wedding gowns are a first-choice amongst would-be brides, his more casual styles are sought-after by celebrities such as Kris Aquino, Anne Curtis, and Charo Santos-Concio. Leyva’s designs have also been lauded in fashion periodicals both local and abroad – his seams seen walking down runways in Milan, Paris, and New York.
Not bad for someone who’s just turned 30.
And yet like much of the world early this year, he woke to the nightmare of COVID-19. The lockdowns saw weddings postponed, orders cancelled, and his sales plummet.
“At first, I got sad,” he says in a telephone interview for Alike, “I felt sad for the present, and the future. I felt sad because I have people who depend on me for their livelihood…but then I thought, I had to do something.”
And he did. He saw his opportunity one night while watching TV and saw the need for personal protection for front-liners. “I went online, then called medical professionals on what material was suitable for the project.” Michael, who has his design studio in Antipolo, prototyped using textiles from his personal collection. “And so ayun, we eventually made 5,000 masks made from cotton-spandex, and 15,000 PPE suits made from (water-repellant and reusable) ripstop microfiber.” These DOH-approved pieces were sent to very grateful hospitals, who would’ve discovered a pleasant surprise in each package – in the form of a small ‘thank-you’ note with an affixed bible quote.
Now, Michael looks past immediate needs and into the future of a “re-newed normal.” His designs predict a spartan need for protection, whilst anticipating an athenian sense of style – elegant, flowing, and decidedly democratic. “I wanted to create something that was functional, but would appeal to the most number of people – to encourage them to wear (this kind of protective wear).”
“Temporary normal lang naman,” he then quips in tagalog, “eventually babalik ung desire ng tao for more flexible fashion.” Michael’s studio, currently working with a skeletal workforce, is producing pieces of his new line for limited release in early June.
“We have around 60 weddings pushed to next year. We want to survive (this) because we want to be there when those 60 couples eventually walk down the aisle.”
Further asked about his personal thoughts on the recent pandemic he replies after a long pause – “This experience made me realize that viruses don’t choose people – young, old, rich, poor – we’re all in this together. We just have to do our part, pray, and hope for the best. Sana it’s enough.”
—alike.com.ph
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