Meet the 2025 Semi-finalists

Mara San Pedro

Redress Design Award

  • 2025
 Finalist

Meet The Designer

“Sustainability doesn’t sacrifice the design process, but instead enhances it.”
Mara San Pedro
“Sustainability doesn’t sacrifice the design process, but instead enhances it.”
Mara San Pedro

Bio

Mara San Pedro is a Finalist of the Redress Design Award 2025. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Fashion Design Technology from London College of Fashion, UK.

Region

  • Philippines

Collection

  • Womenswear

Design Techniques

  • Upcycling, Zero Waste

Redress Design Award Collection

Mara’s Redress Design Award collection, ‘echoes of the weave’, draws inspiration from the varying movement of textiles and the designer’s connection to the diversity of Filipino culture and femininity. She uses woven Inabel blankets, old linens, and fluid drapes to celebrate her Filipino heritage, as well as native handwoven textiles including piña (a byproduct of pineapple farming) and abaca silk. Smocking, shirring, and fabric contrasts bridge tradition and modernity, highlighting the relevance of handweaving while also minimising waste with zero-waste draping and supporting local supply chains.

Q&A with the designer

My Filipino culture has influenced me the most in terms of my perspective on sustainable fashion. We have so many incredible handweaving communities from different regions across the country with their own unique heritage. As a designer, I have always wanted to showcase this part of my culture. I’ve come to realise that sustainability isn’t only about materials and processes, it also means adapting and responding to what your local community needs. In my case, that means using materials made locally by these weaving communities and preserving culture.

My collection is grounded in a commitment to keeping the supply chain as local as possible. I work with materials such as pineapple and abaca, which are native to the Philippines and handwoven in small batches by local communities. Creating a strong personal design identity, while using materials so deeply interwoven with my culture, allows me to share my heritage in an authentic way. At the same time, I am able to fulfill my responsibility as a designer to be more intentional and conscious of my impact on the environment by making use of low-impact materials and low-waste techniques.

My design philosophy revolves around organic movement and embracing imperfections, so techniques such as zero-waste draping become a natural part of my process.

My goal is to continue innovating our Filipino handwoven textiles and strengthening local supply chains. I hope to collaborate closely with more communities not only to preserve their craft but also to explore new ways of using, treating, and elevating our local textiles in order to push their potential through modern techniques and design. I aim to reimagine these traditional materials in more contemporary and relevant ways to create a new context where they continue to evolve and go beyond their conventional use. Furthermore, I want to bring greater visibility to the richness of Filipino handweaving and showcase how sustainable practices can lead to garments that are both responsible and deeply meaningful.
I see the future of sustainable fashion as one where circularity, cultural preservation, and emotional longevity work hand in hand.

A hair clip, but it’s more than just a styling accessory. I use it in tweaking garments, adding details, and testing spontaneous design ideas. It’s like a mini design tool I always like to have on me. Also, just having a good sense of humour, because in fashion, things don’t always go your way.

My collection navigates the place of Filipino tradition in today’s modern world. I really wanted to challenge the idea that traditional textiles such as pineapple and abaca only have a place in traditional formal dress. I reinterpreted these elements through my own lens to reflect my own relationship with my culture and upbringing, filled with innocence, playfulness, and rebellion, while embracing nuanced femininity.

As a designer, I have learned that sustainability is also about having that core philosophy ingrained in you, because you need that conviction as your foundation to always be your guide no matter what.

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