Great shopping, hearty food & cool entertainment in a garden setting

MANILA, Philippines - These days, it may seem that you can’t take the millennials out of their malls. What with their fast fashions, fast food, and even faster way they update their social media feeds with retail approval or disdain, it seems like they’re all after consumer conveniences.

But what if a handful of youngsters chose to denounce the conspicuous consumption that placed them in a box and offer a refreshing retail environment that marries the outdoors with what’s in? Then, perhaps, a whole new spectrum of shopping experiences could begin.

“Great shopping, hearty food, and cool entertainment in a rustic garden setting — that is our promise,” shares Spectrum Fair Manila founder, 22-year-old Alyssa Arellano, whose business savvy was prompted by one of her early personal passions.

“We love the vibe of the outdoor markets, so we thought, why not recreate the outdoor look and feel of that in a comfortable indoor setting?” Arellano imagined a place where her favorite Instagram retail startups and below-the-radar online brands could blissfully coexist outside the digital environment.

“It’s the first indoor-outdoor fair in the country, not just for the young, but for the young-at-heart as well,” Arellano says. The business setup quickly became a bonding moment she shared with her mom, Pia Lopez-Arellano. And the final result, she hopes, will be as rewarding for the other mother-daughter tandems in the Metro.

“Spectrum is envisioned to be not just an enjoyable shopping experience where one can score a mix of classic and new cutting-edge finds but an event where one can linger and lounge with family and friends,” she says, noting how she could only do it with a little help from her friends.

With food selections from the small-batch to the artisanal, organic, and even addicting, Spectrum rounds up the new cravings of today’s foodies. The lineup includes green treats from Whisk, Healthy Monsters and Stellina, the home-crafted recipes of Baguettini and Manila Creamery, and the snack-worthy plates of Potato Corner and Custaroonery.

Spectrum’s lineup of independent clothing labels offers a tasteful departure from trend-led big fashion franchises. From the chic, shore-friendly staples of Quiver to the stark and simple steps of Annie & Lori, the studied dapper threads of OTAA, the seasoned satchels of Lulu & Swing, and the storied aesthetics of unique accessory brand Istorya, personal style reigns supreme at the Spectrum racks, encouraging your own renegade take on #OOTD.

And elevating the feels of homebound living is Spectrum’s array of lifestyle brands and labels dedicated to the rising arts-and-crafts movement. Here, the timber creations of Woodarts Manila, the tribal trove of Bondi Lifestyle, the bohemian basics of Aranaz TÚ, and the fragrant air of Whiff Perfumes are set to leave the confines of your Pinterest boards straight into your own havens of domestic bliss.

As though these brand selections aren’t reason enough to pay a visit, Spectrum Fair Manila elevates the retail scene further by bringing in the country’s most-celebrated musical acts, one of them indie favorite Ransom Collective, whose stringed riffs enhance the ambiance. And trend-watchers and trailblazers such as Natalia Ortega, celebrity newlyweds Drew and Iya Arellano, as well as the insatiable crew of Manila Eat Up can easily turn a shopping spree into a social media fete, especially when trading selfies with them in one of Spectrum Fair’s pocket lounges.

When shopping was a social activity spent with friends and family —not in the confines of a digital or glass-and-concrete box — life was simpler but its joys were far more meaningful. Be it a thing of nostalgia for moms or a rewarding reminder for their out-of-touch kids, Spectrum Fair Manila brings us back to the fairgrounds where the food is sweet, the clothes are neat, and the fun is truly something any mall can’t beat.

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Spectrum Fair Manila will have its retail run on Sept. 5-6 at Whitespace Manila, Pasong Tamo, Makati. For more information, email spectrumfairmanila@gmail.com.