Emmeline Aglipay-Villar is a lawyer who served as undersecretary at the Department of Justice, and as a congressional representative for the DIWA party-list. She is also the founder of the Hope for Lupus Foundation.

An avid supporter of local weaves and textiles, Aglipay-Villar has found ways to celebrate Filipino culture and heritage by incorporating traditional Filipino elements into her wardrobe. Often spotted wearing familiar silhouettes such as butterfly sleeves or the exaggerated puffs of the traje de mestiza, Aglipay-Villar’s sense of patriotism is evident whenever she speaks of her style.

As someone constantly in the public eye, Aglipay-Villar’s fashion always invites public scrutiny. “But I have learned that we should just wear what makes us happy,” she says. “We look the most stylish when we are confident, comfortable and happy in what we are wearing.”