Fashion

Trendy Tassels: The Turning Tides

Today, the tides have turned and these tassels were not only seen in our homes and on graduation caps. These leather fringes, colored beads, and embroidered threads became a trend that paved way to an income generating opportunity for a young designer, Lira Princess Cadorna.

Historically and traditionally, tassels were used in homes to decorate lampshades, pillows and curtains.

Specifically, ‘tassel’ came from the word ‘tassau’ which means “to a clasp at the neck of a garment”. Before, these served as symbols of power, especially by ancient priests. Tassels were believed to ward off evil spirits.

Lira is a graduate of Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Product Design from the University of the Philippines Cebu. During her college days, she was also fond of making clothes. According to her, this hobby was her way to practice creativity and a way to relax. But she was also fond of making her own accessories.

Lira also makes clothes, bracelets, and pouches.

Tassel earrings were really a trend that started last year. “I’m not usually one to follow trends but as I inspected the items that other stores had, I thought to myself that I could make the same thing and sell it for a much cheaper price,” Lira says.

Lira started with Php 180 as her capital. With that, she was able to buy three balls of string, a few pairs of fishhook earrings, and a pack of jump rings.

As a start-up business, Lira manages her expenses carefully. “What I do is keep the profit and use the capital I gained back to buy more supplies and a percentage of the profit for expansion,” she adds.

Her fan-shaped tassel earrings range from Php 100 to Php 180 only.

From making jewelries for herself, she followed the trend and started up her own business that eventually clicked. “I got a few messages from some of my schoolmates. Next thing I know is that their friends wanted to order too,” Lira says.

Her tassel earrings range from Php 100 to Php 180 only. “I do ship locally but the buyer shoulders the shipping fee. For bulk orders, I usually tell them that I would need one to two weeks to finish their orders depending on the volume. If they’re okay with the waiting time, then it’s a go,” Lira shares.

But juggling her start-up business in college was a roller coaster ride. She makes all the earrings herself while doing school works at the same time. “It was also hard to find the supplies that would pass my standards in quality and price so I had to keep finding sources that would best suit the business until I was satisfied,” Lira says.

Her hobby in making pieces of jewelry also challenged her creativity and designed more shapes.

Her time management was tested. “There was no time to slack off so I had to make sure I didn’t do things that were unnecessary so that nothing would be compromised. When it came to the supplies, I had to exert more effort to get what I wanted to achieve the product quality that I want,” Lira shares.

This trend is not yet over, Lira adds. As for her, she tries to study more of the trend and see what it can offer that will eventually challenge her creativity.

The tides have turned and the trend’s flow allows creativity to flow as well. “Find something you think you like and you’re good at. If you don’t think you’re good enough, practice, practice, practice,” Lira advices.

As a young designer, Lira’s journey in the industry is a long way to go but according to her confidence is the key. “Sometimes, what hinders people from sharing and selling their works is that they’re not confident enough. When you’re happy with your output, put on that confidence coat, go out there, and sell your product to the world,” she says.

Related Topics:Accessories Lira Cadorna Tassel Earrings

Up Next

Paolo Abellana Brings Art to the Streets

Don't Miss

Waterproof Your Makeup With These Wallet-Friendly Products This Rainy Season

13 Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Fashion

Ravens, Runways, and Revelations: A Glimpse of Amato

by OJ HOFER | photo credit JOSEPH ONG | jewelry ROYAL GEM

Fashion had become as instinctive as breathing—so natural that one scarcely noticed it. Yet, after seasons adrift in sartorial limbo, the piercing peal of Birds of Prey by Amato Furne One jolted this archipelago’s fashion scene to attention. Amato’s spectacle soared beyond mundane couture, drawing me from the quiet of my atelier to the intoxicating front row at the reinvented Tops in Busay—from the low murmur of machines to the electrifying brouhaha of the style set.

: A lattice dress with an aureole, beautifully bedecked with Birds of Prey, opens the show.

: A winged bustier frames the face with bold curlicues.

: A fringe dress with a farthingale rustles mysteriously in the nocturnal stillness.

: A bell-shaped T’nalak dress, woven with vivid dreams, sways with mystery.

: A T’nalak ballgown, shrouded in black mesh, catches the moonlight like a whispered secret.

: An entrance-making tulle and T’nalak off-shoulder ensemble commands attention.

: A crystal-studded bodysuit paired with a vinyl trench coat burns with fierce intensity.

: A red lacewing butterfly emerges, shedding the remnants of a tattered cocoon.

: A fiery ensemble, cloaked in phantom glamour, leaves an unforgettable impression long after the wearer’s exit.

Amato is not merely a label; it is a visionary ideal stitched in silk and dreams, a symphony of artistry that transforms yarns, fibers, and fabric into fashion phantasmagoria. Under the deft hands of Furne One, Amato has adorned the world’s most fearless icons—Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez—women who, like his creations, embody style, strength, and spectacle. His couture is not merely worn; it takes flight, transforming the wearer into a mesmerizing apparition of fleeting beauty—a phenomenal vision that lingers long after the moment has passed.

But how does one conjure such fantastical transformations? To offer a glimpse into the mind of this visionary, we posed three playful questions:

Oj: If you were a bird, would you soar as a mighty raptor or scheme as a clever corvid?
Furne: I’d be a raven—sharp-witted, shrouded in mystery, and draped in the perfect shade of midnight. Its inky plumage matches my flair for dark romance; because even in shadows, I prefer a little drama.

Oj: What would be your most formidable power?
Furne: As a raven, I straddle the seen and unseen—transcendence is my superpower.

Oj: What bird would you absolutely refuse to be reborn as?
Furne: Never a turkey—too commercial, too festive, and far too likely to end up as Thanksgiving dinner.

Fashion

Lucky Colors of 2025: Harness the Energies of Emerald Green & Carmine Red for Success

Thom Browne Cropped tweed jacket

by Oj Hofer

With the Year of the Wood Snake underway, understanding the significance of lucky colors can help align us with its energetic flow. Rooted in Chinese astrology and Feng Shui, the year’s fortifying shades—emerald green and carmine red—offer mindfulness and good intention attracting luck, and fostering personal growth.

Emerald green, associated with the Wood element, symbolizes renewal, clarity, and inner peace. In the year of the wood snake, its dynamic energies will empower and inspire you, fostering growth, renewal and wise transformations. The hue is ideal for moments of self-reflection, study, or creativity. Wearing or incorporating this shade into your space enhances balance and mental focus.

Carmine red, linked to the Fire element, embodies passion, confidence, and vitality. This year, which according to the Bazi Four Pillars Chart, has a lack of metal, earth and fire elements, it will bring balance and the propitious energies. It’s perfect for professional meetings, decision-making, and moments requiring assertiveness as a splash of red can energize and embolden you throughout the day.

Stella Macartney vegan Leather tote

Stefano Ricci silk tie with paisley print

To fully harness their benefits, use these colors in a contemporary, mobile context; through clothing, jewelry, bags and accessories. Alternate between these two potent tints based on your needs. For example, wear green for calmness and clarity when you are going into stressful and mind challenging meetings or appointments. Choose red when you are going into places or situations where you need courage and motivation such as fashion galas, elite socials, prestige affairs, VIP gatherings and so forth.

Saint Laurent crepe de chine mules

Optionally, you can also choose to wear these colors inconspicuously in small details, such as a garnet or jade bracelet, or a ruby or emerald pendant and earrings set. Men can wear a burgundy or forest green tie or pocket square, or casual polo shirts with poppies or with botanical prints, or jade and garnet jewelry. Doing so can subtly align your energy with the year’s vibrational flow.

Jan Leslie emerald bracelet

Daily Mood Cuff Links with red tiger’s eye tubes

The use of colors is more than just aesthetic choices or preferential picks. Colors can serve as energetic tools, reminding you of your good intentions and keeping you mindful of you daily motions. Effecting an optimistic mental state in the wearer, they can effectively shield you from negativity while fostering prosperity and emotional balance. Thoughtfully incorporating them into your wardrobe and surroundings ensures that you move through 2025 with confidence and the right intentions.

Embracing emerald green for tranquility and carmine red for strength are intentional, mindful choices that have the power to transform your energy and shape your path forward. May you have the best of luck in navigating through Year of the Snake with harmony, energy, and the power to attract good fortune.

Events

The First NUSTAR BALL

Janine Taylor, June Alegrado, Jackie Lotzof, Frances Siao, Ina Ronquillo and Christine Pelaez

The NUSTAR Ballroom, a magnificent venue at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu, sets the stage for last night’s first-ever NUSTAR Ball.

Black was the color of night at the Zee table.

Glamorous guests from Manila and Cebu converged at the NUSTAR Ballroom, an exquisite venue within the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu. The evening unfolded with a seated 5-course dinner. The opulent feast started with Beetroot Salmon Gravlax, adorned with caper berries, caviar, set with delicate edible flowers; and a main course of Compressed Pork Belly with Crackling Skin and Baby Scallops. Another highlight was the auction of coveted items like Dior and YSL handbags, a limited-edition Bulgari watch, and an exclusive 2-night stay in Nustar’s opulent 3-bedroom villa—complete with a private pool and a dedicated butler. The charity evening benefited the Cameleon Association, an NGO based in Iloilo City created in 1997 that developed a global approach to act on the causes and effects of sexual violence against children.