Ann Ong takes the Banig to New York
Jewelry designer Ann Ong wears a necklace from her Yamang Kalikasan collection and cuff from her Salvage Wood collection, available at the Ann Ong boutique in Shangri-La at the Fort.
MANILA, Philippines - After winning the Best Design in Sustainability award last year in New York Now (NY Now) with her “Nature is Gold” clutch, Ann Ong — the designer known for her intricate gilded pieces that merge the organic with the opulent — reveals an equally whimsical piece for this year’s entry. In a few days, she heads to the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City to unveil her latest clutch, “Sustainability for a Better World.”
Inspired by the humble woven mat, the banig — common in underprivileged households across the country — her design is an ode to her heritage and Filipino roots. Her clutch is wrapped in a banig weave housed in a cage of plated gold. Lending light and whimsy to the piece are elegant jade and carnelian stones that decorate the clasp.
“As with pieces I’ve made before, wherein I used bamboo and salvaged wood, I wanted to elevate the banig — material that most people would discard and overlook — and turn it into something beautiful,” shares Ong. While she makes generous use of precious stones and hammered gold, Ong stresses that the strength of her designs lies not in the opulence of the details, but in her artistry and ability to transform the ordinary into something striking and memorable.
“Ever since I started designing in 2012, the pieces I’ve made have been founded on two main things: sustainability and artistry,” she says.
As seen in her collections, Ong uses unique materials such as salvaged wood, bamboo, banig, and weathered stones. “I’m particularly drawn to nature and upcycling what I find, because I want to bring back purpose to material that’s usually discarded. I just find so much inspiration, energy and healing in nature.”
From scrap wood from the mountains to bamboo and baroque pearls, Ong sees the potential in all pieces, and delights in nature’s lovely imperfections. “While others would seek the most perfect specimen — perfect spheres of pearls, stones with perfect cuts and symmetry — I’m drawn more to those that are considered flawed, because they’re beautiful in their uniqueness, too.”
According to Ong, the mark of a good design is not whether the materials used were rare or expensive. Rather, it is how the designer is able to showcase his or her ingenuity by creating something out of nothing. “It’s easy to make beautiful pieces out of gold, metal and precious stones, but it takes talent to fashion something amazing from the ordinary,” says the three-time Katha awardee, bestowed by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) for Best Product Design for Fashion. This is why Ong’s pieces resonate so well with clients, as each design seeks to go beyond the idea of perfection and embraces what is simply natural and beautiful in itself.
Speaking about her creative process, Ong reveals, “I do most of my drawings in my ‘creative room,’ taking inspiration from what I have.” With the materials laid out before her, she studies each, understanding the best way to highlight the intrinsic beauty of each element. “Everything is handmade, down to the tiniest detail, so there’s really a feel of my pieces being artisanal and organic. There is heart and soul.” Indeed, Ong’s designs are one-of-a-kind, each a personal and individual response to the inspiration brought about by the materials she’s come across.
From Aug. 19 to 23, Ong once again joins other global designers for NY Now in one of the biggest exhibitions of the year. In addition to her Sustainability for a Better World clutch, Ong will also unveil her newest collections: Tubbataha, Lawiswis Kawayan, and Yamang Kalikasan.
Tubbataha, named after the reef and marine sanctuary in the Sulu Sea, captures the vibrant life of the seabed and the mysterious depths of the open water with shells, stones and shimmer. While making use of lapis lazuli, turquoise and amethyst, Ong reflects the sea beyond the palette of blues and incorporates faux coral beads and pearls.
From the ocean to the shore, the Lawiswis Kawayan Collection, on the other hand, highlights the humble kawayan with gilded clutches made from sturdy bamboo. The design has an earthy, grounded appeal, with the bamboo spliced and stacked to create textural novelty.
From Yamang Kalikasan, one of the standout pieces is Ong’s radial necklace that features stained wood and baroque pearls set in gold. “With every piece that I’ve made, the challenge has always been, how do I make my designs functional? How do I make them look opulent?”
As she heads to the US, Ong is thankful for opportunities to share her work. “Aside from NY Now, I participate in exhibits in Europe and Southeast Asia. There, I also get to see the best of the best from around the world. It’s exciting to see the different designs and emerging trends,” she says. “Whenever I look at the exhibits, I always ask myself how I can further set myself apart as a global designer — and I’ve realized that it’s really in handcrafting. That’s my design DNA.”
The Ann Ong boutique is located on the 2nd Floor, Retail Podium, near Bridgeway connecting East and West podiums of Shangril-La at The Fort Hotel, BGC, Taguig City. Follow @anngianinnaong on Instagram for more of her designs.
