ArteFino 2018: Sanxi By Raisa Tantuico Vargas Is The Unpredictable Jewelry Brand You've Been Waiting For
For jewelry designer Raisa Vargas, unpredictability is her greatest style statement.
Describing her brand Sanxi as both classic yet rebellious, feminine yet spunky, Raisa takes pride in how her designs transcend a single aesthetic. By being neither exclusively this nor that, Sanxi has the potential to be anything and everything the stylish woman seeks.
It's almost impossible to foresee what Raisa will bring to the table next—but that's all part of the Sanxi brand and excitement. After all, Raisa's inspiration comes from both old, dependable loves and fantasies of the moment, and the results are nothing short of dreamy. Anything from ripples made by dolphins to naturally occuring geographical formations have influenced her eye, while her mind and hands have helped bring her creative visions to life.
"We’re always trying to reinvent ourselves so you won’t see a particular style. The only thing that’s consistent is that we try to come up with different collections so that the next one is different from the last. You don’t expect it to be like [what you've already seen]," she shares.
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Growing as a jewelry designer while dabbling in bag design and nurturing a career in architecture, Raisa explains that artistry runs her through her veins. Most significantly, she was influenced by her family to pursue the unconventional. Her grandmother, a jewelry lover herself, was someone she spent much of her time with, while her parents encouraged her to be different for as long as she can remember.
Her sisters have contributed to Sanxi as well; one sister takes care of brand marketing and the other stays on top of finances and accounting, which allows Raisa to concentrate on designing. In fact, their perfect partnership is the very story behind the name Sanxi; together, Sylvia, Anna, and Raisa are the girls behind this soon-to-be fashionista favorite.
Turning our attention on what Sanxi is most loved for, Raisa points out that its drop, hoop, and stud earrings, bangles, and bracelets never fail to catch attention, but their ear cuffs are their absolute number one bestseller. They're not only fun and unusual—the epitome of the Sanxi woman—but they come in all sorts of pretty designs, too.
When it comes to materials used, anything from locally sourced metals crafted by Bulacan-based goldsmiths to Southeast Asian semi-precious stones can make appearances in collections. Mixed and matched in limitless ways, each and every combination becomes a one-of-a-kind piece worthy of bringing home.
Looking back at all that she needed to do before reaching new heights, Raisa, says, "You have so many questions in the back of your head like, 'Why am I doing this?' It’s a long process and it’s going to be really hard. There’s no other way but to just keep doing it. If you won’t keep doing it, you’ll never know. Part of why I’m doing it is because I don’t want to regret anything. We’ll just keep trying and trying and trying until it works."
In the long run, Raisa hopes to one day bring her Philippine-made brand to an international market and expand to other areas of design like home décor. But in the meantime, she's bringing Sanxi to more fashion-loving Filipinos at ArteFino 2018, where her newest collection will exclusively launch. The honor of being a part of one of the country's most exclusive craft fairs is something she takes seriously, and is surely an opportunity she'll use to the fullest.
Video by Marie Francia, Marnie Giron, and Berwin Coroza
Video editing by Berwin Coroza
Photos from @shopsanxi
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