Designer and Founder, Kaayo Modern Mindanao
Marga Nograles had a mission to provide opportunities to a mother-and-daughter duo from Lake Sebu’s T’boli tribe. Over time, her inspiration became the artisan women in Mindanao whose craftsmanship are worth showcasing. Thus, Kaayo Modern Mindanao was born.
Each piece is designed with unique fabrics and embroidery using dyeing and weaving techniques that are distinctly Mindanao-made. Nograles has also expanded to athleisure and resort wear, continuously launching a collection that allows wearers to don comfortable hand-made activewear crafted by a Mindanao indigenous tribe. This fusion of modern and traditional style is what the entrepreneur wishes to celebrate and advocate for, eventually garnering the attention of prominent personalities who have shown their support by wearing Kaayo. She is the wife of the Philippines’ Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.
Did You Know?
One of Marga Nograles’ iconic pieces in Kaayo is the modern tangkulo (a triangular hand-beaded cloth used as headwear) which she translated into a stylish scarf—a piece that became a staple in most stylish Filipina wardrobes.