Any social scientist or retail anthropologist would be interested to note how the Pinoy shopper has evolved through the years. While value for money is topmost on everybody’s mind, it is finding a unique gift for loved ones that takes priority.
“Shopping used to be a task,” says Cathy R. Bengzon, marketing and events manager. “Now it’s a respite.”
Yes, even at Christmas when everyone’s hurrying, Greenbelt offers shops that are meant to surprise and delight.
Firma’s holiday theme was inspired by two diverse influences: the artist Aubrey Beardsley and the Arts & Crafts Movement in England in the late 19th century and Studio 54, the iconic New York disco of the late ‘70s personified by pop artist Andy Warhol and his muse, Edie Sedgwick. Chito Vijandre and Ricky Toledo, proprietors of Firma, chose these personalities for being iconoclasts, challenging the established art world with fresh, new ideas that were ahead of their time.
Wynn Wynn Ong has always been known for her original, one-of-a-kind jewelry using top-quality gemstones and this season she definitely did not disappoint. Using age-old techniques of enameling, she created handcrafted pieces inspired by nature: corals come to life in salmon and jet enamel cuffs punctuated by multifaceted citrines with special cuts specially commissioned by the designer. Horn rings bring good energy with carved frogs in jade and enamel studded with tourmalines. Fine silk cord is woven into concentric circles to form gorgeous necklaces accented by turquoise and smoky quartz.
Radiating equal parts artistic charm and urban sophistication, the store Carbon has found the perfect balance between avant-garde and classic. It specializes in bags, shoes, and prêt-a-porter in different shades and textures of black, white, silver, and gray. Carbon is the epitome of pared-down chic.
Tint, meanwhile, is fun, fabulous and flirty. With everything that a girl needs, plus everything that she wants, walking into Tint is like walking into one’s modern glam dream closet or waking up in fashion heaven.
Tint offers bags, shoes, accessories, and prêt a porter in fashionable colors, luxurious textures, and up-to-the-minute styles to suit those who have an innate sense of fabulosity.
Also check out JO for its quaint jewelry pieces, and T Studio for its lovely shoes and clear bags.
Personalized gift-giving is elevated to another level with the shops at Greenbelt 3. Now you can shop and take a break as you go through your list at the various coffee shops or just sit around in the cool corridors.
Perhaps what makes Ayala Malls different as a company is that its innovative spirit is backed by research. Vice president Rowena Tomeldan explains, “We keep our ears on the ground for what our customers want. If we’ve done it before, we never really do the same thing again.”
And that, it seems, should also be your guideline to gift-giving: Find something unique. It’s easy to do when the shops at Greenbelt are offering so many different things.