Stellar Mindanao Heritage Fashion Designers Competition is a sustainable fashion design and creative enterprise competition platform for creative Mindanaon designers. It was founded by the Davao Fashion and Design Council Foundation, Inc. in partnership with Ayala Malls Abreeza to encourage designers to rediscover the island’s cultural diversity. The foundation has since then continued promoting the protection and preservation of culture and heritage through fashion.

Besides promoting cultural identity, Stellar also gives voice to traditional and emerging communities by collaborating with them in innovating products and start-up enterprises. The collaboration allows for diverse participation and teaches designers and entrepreneurs to be culturally sensitive and conscious of fair trade. 

Stellar Mindanao Heritage Fashion Designers Competition encourages both creativity and responsibility from designers. The competition’s first theme, “I AMindanao,” focused on the traditions and culture of the different tribes in Mindanao. While designers have creative freedom, they must also be mindful of cultural appropriation. This meant the artists had to ensure sustainable relationships with their indigenous partners and that the fabrics and archetypal designs used are treated with respect. They are also expected to pay artisans a fair price for their work.

For up-and-coming designers, Stellar is one of the gateways into the world of fashion. In its design competition last May 2019, participating designers were given a chance to win the grand prize of 100,000 in start-up capital, a two-year mentoring, training, and business incubation program with the Department of Trade & Industry. The winner also received a specially crafted trophy by globally recognized Davaoeño artist Kublai Millan. The 2019 participants were tasked to apply their interpretation of Mindanao in their designs and successfully incorporated the island’s culture in a 5-piece capsule collection.

Although the pandemic has canceled physical events, Stellar’s founders still hope to improve the quality and competitiveness of Filipino brand products in the global market through the ingenuity of our cultural diversity.