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Rockwell Tarp To Tote 25th Anniversary Collab

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<p>There&#x27;s something poetic about seeing potential where others see waste, beauty where others see the discarded. At<strong> Power Plant Mall</strong>, that poetry has taken physical form through <strong>Rockwell&#x27;s Tarp-to-Tote</strong> initiative, a project that has quietly been rewriting the rules of sustainable luxury since 2019.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765337943988METRO.Style.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>What began as a simple question—what do we do with all these promotional tarpaulins after they&#x27;ve served their purpose?—has evolved into something far more significant. The banners that once caught your eye while shopping, often displayed for just a week before being taken down, now have a second act. And for Power Plant Mall&#x27;s silver anniversary, The Rockwellist has brought together three distinctive design voices: <strong>Amina Aranaz-Alunan</strong> of <strong>Aranaz</strong>, <strong>Rags2Riches</strong>, and <strong>Adante Leyesa</strong>.</p><p>It&#x27;s the first time Rockwell has worked with these three brands simultaneously for the Tarp-to-Tote collection, and the result is diverse. Each piece is distinctly different, yet united by a common thread of purpose and that particularly Filipino talent of making something extraordinary from the everyday.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Weaving Values Into Design</strong></div><p>For <strong>Christian Cera</strong>, the designer behind the Rags2Riches piece, the invitation from Rockwell to join the Tarp-to-Tote initiative felt less like a new direction and more like a natural continuation of everything R2R stands for. Founded 18 years ago by<strong> Reese Fernandez-Ruiz</strong>, Rags2Riches has built its reputation on two pillars: creating sustainable livelihoods for community artisans and transforming waste into objects of desire.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533776822724.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><div><em>Christian Cera designed the Rags2Riches piece for Tarp-to-Tote</em></div><p>&quot;We&#x27;re very proud to be part of this project because upcycling is at the core of what we do at Rags2Riches,&quot; Cera explains, discussing why they joined Rockwell&#x27;s initiative. &quot;So when we were first approached about the project, we were very happy to be part of it and be able to design something that we feel is part of the sustainability principle of our company.&quot;</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533779142523.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>The connection between R2R and Rockwell&#x27;s Tarp-to-Tote runs deeper than shared values. R2R has always focused on upcycling textile scraps with regularity. Applying that same philosophy to the tarpaulins from Power Plant Mall&#x27;s promotional materials was seamless. Cera says, &quot;With the bag for this initiative, you can see that discarded materials can have a new life, and it&#x27;s something that can bring you joy, especially during this time of the year.&quot;</p><p>Cera and his team at R2R didn&#x27;t want to create something obvious. They wanted their design to tell a story, to stand apart within the Tarp-to-Tote collection. Open the bag and you&#x27;ll find it fully lined with tarpaulin and what makes the R2R design unique is how the tarpaulin becomes both functional and beautiful. &quot;You could put your water bottle in it and it&#x27;s sort of water resistant. You could put wet clothes in it. So we feel that it&#x27;s such a beautiful feature of something that is already scrapped or discarded.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><em>Rags2Riches was founded 18 years ago by Reese Fernandez-Ruiz</em></div><p>The tarpaulin also appears on the bag’s exterior, integrated into R2R&#x27;s signature basket weave, but it’s executed differently from the brand&#x27;s typical work. &quot;Because R2R is known for its weaving, we wanted the tarpaulin to be also part of the weaving that you can see on the outside of the bag,&quot; Cera notes. &quot;But we made it in such a way that it’s different from what we usually do in Rags2Riches.&quot;</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533780768722.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>The bag took shape through an ongoing dialogue with the Rockwell team, moving from initial sketches to revised elements. &quot;We had an initial meeting with the Rockwell team where we talked about what shape and what function we were going to do for the project,&quot; Cera recalls. Every piece is created by R2R&#x27;s community artisans and made with what Cera describes as &quot;so much attention and so much love.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>The Elegance of Restraint</strong></div><p>When Rockwell approached <strong>Amina Aranaz-Alunan</strong> about joining the Tarp-to-Tote initiative, the designer found herself intrigued by the challenge. &quot;Rockwell invited me to be part of this project and it was something that I really found interesting to do,&quot; Aranaz says. &quot;I actually found it to be a bit of a challenge because when you&#x27;re upcycling items, when you really think of different ways to use it and how you can use it, it still has to complement what you do within your brand.&quot;</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533782564618.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><div><em>Aranaz owner and creative director Amina Aranaz-Alunan </em></div><p>There was a sentimental element that made saying yes to Rockwell&#x27;s Tarp-to-Tote initiative meaningful to Aranaz. &quot;Rockwell really has been our home in Aranaz so being part of this project was also very meaningful for us.&quot;</p><p>Aranaz&#x27;s contribution to the Tarp-to-Tote collection is a study in proportion and versatility. From the beginning, she knew she wanted to work with abaca. But the question was: what shape would best serve the modern woman moving through her day? &quot;This piece is really meant to be an easy day-to-night piece where it&#x27;s not too big and not too small,&quot; Aranaz explains what makes her design unique within the collection. &quot;We really wanted something that was medium, compact and would be really easy for the user to use for a variety of occasions and times.&quot;</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533784822719.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>The designer tried several silhouettes. “One silhouette was a bit simpler, more basic than this one. We ended up choosing this silhouette, which is a bit more innovative, but still has the classic, elegant look.&quot;</p><p>The bag functions as a handbag, but comes with a sling that transforms it into a shoulder or crossbody bag. Aranaz tucked the tarpaulin from Rockwell inside the bag as a removable pouch, a practical accent that nods to the Tarp-to-Tote initiative&#x27;s sustainable mission. It&#x27;s a clever solution that maintains the bag&#x27;s elegant exterior while honoring the project&#x27;s upcycling ethos.</p><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>Urban Poetry in Denim and Tarp</strong></div><p><strong>Adante Leyesa</strong>&#x27;s approach to Rockwell&#x27;s Tarp-to-Tote collaboration draws from a different well of inspiration. His design doesn&#x27;t look inward to tradition or material heritage, but outward to the urban landscape. Specifically, he looked to an one element that unites cities around the world. &quot;The bag is inspired by the city. I&#x27;ve been to New York, I&#x27;ve been to London, Tokyo and Seoul,&quot; Leyesa explains his vision for the Rockwell initiative. &quot;I was very fascinated with the buildings, of course, but I was inspired by similarities of the pedestrian lane. So we mimic the white and the black lines of the pedestrian lane.” </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533786952720.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><div><em>Adante Leyesa’s bag is inspired by the city</em></div><p>While the pedestrian crossing became the visual DNA of his tote, the bag was conceived for &quot;every individual who has passed by a pedestrian lane: students, working professionals, shoppers and even artists. Anyone who carries something every day can use this bag.&quot;</p><p>For Leyesa, whose brand has sustainability woven into its identity, Rockwell&#x27;s invitation to join the Tarp-to-Tote initiative felt like perfect alignment. &quot;The DNA of Adante Leyesa is sustainability,&quot; he states clearly. &quot;And when we received the invitation from Rockwell to work on this project, we were very excited because we were already aligned on that concept.&quot;</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533788218621.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>The work happens in Marikina, carried out by what Leyesa calls &quot;seasoned artisans,&quot; or craftspeople whose expertise transforms these reclaimed materials into something both functional and quietly sophisticated. &quot;Everything is handmade.”</p><p>The collaboration with the Rockwell team involved multiple rounds of refinement. &quot;We had a series of conversations, explorations and talks with Power Plant,&quot; Leyesa recalls. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Beyond the Trend Cycle</strong></div><p>What makes this iteration of Rockwell&#x27;s Tarp-to-Tote particularly significant is what <strong>The Rockwellist</strong> initiative represents in a fashion landscape increasingly aware of its environmental impact, yet often unsure how to address it without sacrificing style or desirability.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176533789614925.png" style="width:1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Rockwell and The Rockwellist have found a model that works: take a material that would otherwise be discarded after a week of use at Power Plant Mall, pair it with designers who understand both craft and commerce, and create pieces that people actually want to own. The bags are elevated accessories that have a compelling origin story combined with a purposeful benefit.</p><p>The limited-edition totes from The Rockwellist are available exclusively at shop.TheRockwellist.com and at The Rockwellist pop-up on the R1 Level of Power Plant Mall&#x27;s Lifestyle Hallway. For devoted Rockwellist members, there&#x27;s an additional option: each design can be redeemed through The Rockwellist app for 5,000 points. Given the limited quantities and the names attached, the bags are unlikely to linger.</p><div><br/></div><p>As Power Plant Mall celebrates 25 years, Rockwell&#x27;s Tarp-to-Tote project stands as a quiet testament to how far the conversation around sustainable fashion has evolved. What started as a practical solution to waste management has become something more. It is added proof that Filipino designers can lead the way in showing how style and substance, responsibility, and craft with conscience can coexist. The tarpaulins that once advertised what&#x27;s new are now something stylish and worth celebrating.</p>

<p><i>The initiative transforms discarded Power Plant Mall tarpaulins into stylishly sustainable bags by Aranaz, Rags2Riches, and Adante Leyesa for the mall's 25th anniversary</i></p>

The initiative transforms discarded Power Plant Mall tarpaulins into stylishly sustainable bags by Aranaz, Rags2Riches, and Adante Leyesa for the mall's 25th anniversary

Rockwell's Tarp-To-Tote Returns With Three Filipino Design Icons

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Rockwell's Tarp-To-Tote Returns With Three Filipino Design Icons

Metro.Style

Published Dec 10, 2025 12:20 PM PHT

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Updated Dec 10, 2025 12:22 PM PHT

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Tarp-to-Tote

Rockwell

Power Plant Mall

Sustainable Luxury

Upcycling

Filipino Design

Aranaz

Rags2Riches

Adante Leyesa

Tarpaulin

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