Erjohn Dela Serna Of ERJOHN, Philippines
as part of #IDFW22 #AIDFW season 2022 (6th JAN 2022) https://aseanfashiondesignersshowcase.wordpress.com/asea.../ and https://thehomeground.asia/.../asean-international.../
Being a grandson of a community dressmaker and having relatives who are in the garments industry, John Robert Dela Serna of Erjohn Dela Serna House of Designs once dreamt of having his name and designs being worn while at the same time promoting his Cordilleran roots. A tour de force of the fashion design industry of Nueva Ecija (Philippines), he is starting to be known for his passion and ingenious attempt to marry his signature aesthetics of texture, modern, edgy and asymmetrical designs with the use of indigenous woven fabrics from the Cordilleras (northern mountain region of the Philippines). This bold move to introduce to the modern society the products of his roots, the local weaving communities, was not left unnoticed by the press, which won him entry to the wider arena of fashion design in the Philippines and eventually earning his spot in one of the coveted fashion design organizations in the country: the Designers Circle Philippines. His collaboration with an international brand has indeed jumpstarted his career as in 2017, his House of Designs made noise in a New York show and also got the chance to dress up International Candidates for International Pageants, a feat he still considers his biggest break to date. Erjohn indeed has come a long way from his humble beginning when he started his fashion design journey back in 2016. He remembers that he financed his design school expenses from his income from small design gigs. Currently, his fashion design house employs full time staff and a small squad of trusted sewers. From a clientele of mostly friends, Erjohn Dela Serna House of Designs now caters a wide range of clients and projects like pageants, corporate, social and wedding events. He was also able to dress up personalities like Catriona Gray (Miss Universe 2018), Athisa Manalo (Miss International 2018 1st Runner Up), Angelia Ong (Miss Earth 2015), and Venus Raj (Miss Universe 2010 4th Runner Up) to name a few.
Right now, other than the Igorot and the Cordilleran weaves, his designs have expanded to include other woven fabrics that are indigenous to the Philippines such as the T’nalak of South Cotabato, the Inab’l of Ilocos and the Hablon of Iloilo. With passion and attention to detail, his designs and garments are carefully studied and made to suit your taste. No two works are identical but his identity as a creator translates to his works. Despite these many accomplishments, he still stays within his vision for his designs that is for them to continue having relevance and style even after five or ten years have passed. Indeed, his keen attention to detail and his vision for the local textile industry has made him arrive to what acknowledgments he enjoys today. As what one of his mentors used to say, “His eye for prints allows him to deconstruct, at the same time, convert a piece that transcends time and place.” John Robert Dela Serna is an esteem member and fashion ambassador of the ASEAN Fashion Designer Showcase representing Philippines
special thanks: Neva Weber of Dressed AU and Hayden NG of ASEAN Fashion Designers Showcase