Bags for change

Newness and innovation don’t have to be at odds with circularity and artisanship. The missing ingredient? Creativity and collaboration, which are at the heart of global smart device brand Oppo and social enterprise Rags 2 Riches’ limited-edition collection with creative directors and stylists Daryl Chang and Pam Quiñones and content creators Rei Germar and David Guison.

“Oppo wants to showcase creativity and technology, not necessarily limited to fashion. We wanted to showcase everyone’s creativity and passion for creating," says Joanarc Sales, head of PR and CRM at Oppo Philippines.

Sales is a long-time fan of sustainable fashion and has known and shopped R2R for over a decade now. Oppo has released exciting partnerships across creative sectors but this one with R2R signals something more. Sales adds, “This is just the beginning of our shared journey to promote sustainability with innovation and creativity.”

“At first we wondered how this was gonna work out,” R2R’s president and founding partner Reese Fernandez Ruiz admits. “We’re very different. When we got to know each other, we learned a lot from each other.”

Until now R2R has crafted bags in existing, basic designs, letting handcrafted artistry shine with its sustainable textiles. “We learned about how the bags can fit their lifestyles. We learned to design in a way that thinks about a person,” she explains. “Meanwhile, they designed with the idea that, okay, this is made by an artisan. This is handmade.

“When you have possibilities and constraints, you come up with something really surprising and creative,” she adds. “We really learned a lot. Up to today I’m still taking notes, learning about their whole process.”

For the wearer, this means you will have an eye-catching accessory that perfectly complements your lifestyle, made to be cherished for life. Read about the bags from the collaborators themselves.

Daryl Chang’s ring sling bag

“As a creative director and stylist, I really need to have my hands free when I work. This is very functional as it is stylish and fashionable. My current Oppo phone fits perfectly into this phone sleeve in a jersey woven panel. It’s quite snug so it won’t fall out when I work. I can put my airpods in this round zip purse there and my cash and credit card in this leather drawstring pouch,” describes Chang, all in the R2R signature basket weave that she personally selected. “All three pouches are attached to a round ring through metal hooks. It’s my personality, too — it’s in all black and silver.” It also comes with a detachable and adjustable leather strap that can be worn as a wristlet.

Rei Germar’s dumpling bag

“It looks tiny but it fits so, so much. I wanted it to be in a neutral color so I chose chocolate brown for the upcycled woven body but I also wanted to show how beautiful our indigenous textiles are. To let the Binetwagan weaves shine, I chose a light color for the gussets,” she says, wearing a neck corsage made out of the same weave.

Its details include genuine leather trims, a magnetic snap-top closure, cotton fabric lining, and inner side snaps to transform the dumpling bag into an onigiri-shaped handbag. “The struggle was we were scared that the snaps would be weak and won’t hold if it carries so much inside but surprisingly it works so well. It could be a day-to-night kind of bag.”

David Guison’s pixel crossbody bag

“When I went to their workshop, I bought a notebook and nag-drawing ako doon. Sabi ko, I’m thinking of the everyday male pero inclusive din siya. Kaya meron din smaller strap for the ladies and longer strap that both girls and guys can wear,” Guison says of his rectangular crossbody bag’s short handle and wide, adjustable long straps made with genuine leather. The upcycled fabric body is woven into a Blocks pattern. “Mahilig ako sa grayscale kasi you can pair it with anything.”

It also features genuine leather trims, a top zip closure, an exterior back zip pocket, cotton fabric lining, and a bag charm. “You can remove it,” he says of the charm, made out of scraps turned into tassels. “Nilagay ko sa Oppo phone ko para may added element.”

Pam Quiñones’s loop bag

“The Loop Bag works as a mini carry-all that can sit comfortably on the wrist. It can be looped to transform into a mono-handle. It can also be reversed to reveal the same checkerboard pattern with top-stitching. I wanted to create a bag that can fit my daily essentials plus more and do everything (can go from day to night to beach and beyond),” Quiñones explained on an Instagram post. The Loop is fully woven and is R2R’s first completely hand-stitched bag. It is also a vegan bag, with no other components except the fabric used to make the body.

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Each bag is P3,500 for pre-order via the R2R website www.r2r.ph/collections/r2r-x-oppo-philippines. All proceeds will go exclusively to the R2R artisans and their families in an education and digital transformation fund.

For more information on this campaign, visit the OPPO website www.oppo.com/ph/ or OPPO Philippines's official Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok pages.

To support R2R with their advocacy and this campaign, visit R2R’s official website at www.r2r.ph or R2R’s official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok social media pages.