Beauty in Brussels: Our handmade pieces make it to Belgium!

Eliad, the ecstatic bride-to-be

Cindy was my schoolmate  back in elementary and high school. She migrated with her family to Belgium, a few years after. With the rise of social media, most especially the popularity of Facebook, we were able to reconnect. Cindy was interested in investing in a line of Filipino handmade jewelry, both as a business venture in the Belgian market and as a means to help invigorate the artisan movement in her home country. A partnership with Palamuti was soon formed, with Cindy personally selecting handmade jewelry pieces to suit European fashion.

The happy couple 

The main sales and marketing platform used by Palamuti is through the global web. Instead of establishing a physical store, we've focused our efforts on promoting through networks on social media. Deciding to take advantage of the rapid development of the Internet, electronic communication has bridged the gap in proximity, and we were able to establish contact with people like Cindy. Her love for fashion, handmade creations, and Filipino products has given us a chance to partner with her to establish her business, Hiyas by Cindy Castell.

Photography by Cindy Castell 

She is a full time mother while doing wedding coordination part-time. Cindy eventually decided to put Filipino brands sourced from her home country.  She connected with us last year, and decided to test the market by buying sample jewellery from our classic collection, Amatullah.

We have great admiration for this woman who balances her life between being a mother, a wife and  an entrepreneur. In a recent wedding coordination job, she was in charge of the couple's pre-engagement photos. She decided to use the handmade costume jewelry she got from us. Cindy finds so many opportunities to promote Hiyas, and the designs we made exclusively for her. The pre-engagement photos of the bridal couple also served as an example of handmade pieces from the Philippines having a place in a European setting.

Cindy styled the bride-to-be using one of the statement necklaces from the "Hiyas" collection. The results are a reflection of her dedication to professionalism and her eye for beauty. Purchase Hiyas by Cindy Castell by emailing hiyas.by.cindycastell@gmail.com.

Do you want us to supply Filipino handmade jewelry for you? Contact us at info@palamutishop.com. 

Keeping it real.- PJV

Hiyas - Palamuti

Hiyas

The word “hiyas” is a Filipino word which means ornament or jewel. Central to the design was to show the beauty of the shades of brown and gold, until we decided to play with other color hues to meet the requests of our customers.

Hiyas - Palamuti (clipped to polyvore.com)

Color of the Year: Emerald

Photo Credit: www.glitteringstones.com

 “The traditional color associated with the Emerald (stone) is the deep green color and was strongly favored as a popular gem in Victorian jewelry. The meaning of colors through the ages represented many aspects of life. Social, religious, biblical and Christian symbolism, were all reflected in the color green! The symbolic meaning of the color green was renewal of life and nature.”  http://www.birthdaygems.org

Photo Credit: www.pantone.com

Photo Credit:

http://www.pantone.com/pages/index.aspx?pg=21055

Every year the Pantone Color Institute, the authority in color, announces the color of the year based on a series of polls and research.  This year, Emerald steals the spotlight from Tangerine Tango as the color of 2013.  The Emerald is associated with deep green; representing nature, abundance and life.  Expect the dominance of this color not only in fashion but in different fields of design.   

If you want to incorporate this year’s color to your wardrobe, you can do so without resorting to a complete makeover and wardrobe overhaul. The trick is is to accessorize yourself. You may even have accessories tucked away. If you do not, listed below are some of our suggested accessories to keep. 

1.) Hiraya Scarf-Necklace: Believe it or not, this statement necklace can also be a scarf. The edges were tucked to the neckline. You can wear this over a black or white top. You can also pair your scarf necklace with the following colors: African  Violet, Nectarine and Lemon Zest.  

 

 

2.) Hiyas in Shades of Green: An embellished necklace should be able to complete even the most basic of outfits. You can wear this with your corporate blouse or dress. You may even wear this over a simple butterfly cut blouse on a casual day.

 

3.) Dulce Necklace: You don't have to go all the way deep green to keep with the theme. This necklace is a mix of assorted colored cut beads and green seed beads as the main accent. You can pair this necklace with a simple white or black tee with a round neck-- a great piece which can bring you from casual to a formal affair.

4.) Wire Art Brooch: Brooches have been used for ages, and the truth is you can use them in other ways apart from pinning it to your clothes. You can use a simple brooch like this one to add accent to your bag, hat or scarf.

5.) Daily Palamuti Earrings: Your set of accessories won't be complete without earrings.  The dangling crystals are detachable so you can wear it both on special occasions and casual dates.

6.) Maruja Bracelet with Decoupaging: Charm bracelets never go out of style, nor do we think they ever will be. With a few tweaks on the design, you can turn this basic concept into something that suits today's fashion. 

7.) Customized Embellished Necklace: Celebrate your uniqueness by having your costume jewelry customized! Give us your concept and we will gladly execute it for you.