Maligaya Clothing Co. Looks Beneath the Surface

With Found Treasures, designer Roko Arceo transforms reclaimed materials into sculptural forms inspired by the ocean’s fragile beauty for Fashion Week Asia.

Against a backdrop glowing in shades of orange and pink, Maligaya Clothing Co. opened with a draped top and trousers that grazed the floor, setting a fluid rhythm for Found Treasures at Fashion Week Asia. Designer Roko Arceo looked to the ocean’s intricate coral formations and marine life, translating their organic shapes into a collection that considers both the beauty of the natural world and its growing vulnerability.

Tropical hues and two-toned fabrics brought vibrancy to the runwayRunwayThe platform or catwalk on which models present a designer's collection to an audience of editors, buyers, and guests. Runway shows establish the creative statement of a season, and Vogue'sGo to Runway Glossary, balanced by muted stripes and soft mint-green shirting. Textured handwork emerged as a defining element, from dresses to vivid, coral-like formations that transformed intricate knotting techniques into sculptural surfaces. Short shorts edged with piping offered a playful contrast, while paneled, color-blocked jackets introduced sharper lines. Elsewhere, skirts adorned with buttons and ornaments gave way to netted constructions catching mother-of-pearl embellishments and shell-like forms, evoking the treasures found along the ocean floor.

The collection’s closing looks returned to its central inspiration with a knitted dress recalling the intricate structures of coral, followed by a draped dress in muted coral tones. Together, they brought the collection’s varied textures into focus, balancing expressive color with a more subdued, organic palette.

Beyond its marine references, Found Treasures is rooted in Arceo’s commitment to reimagining materials with existing histories. Reclaimed textiles, vintage fabrics, and antique crochet doilies were transformed through natural dyeing and textile manipulation. The collection also incorporated Thai silk and handwoven piña-silk textiles from La Herminia Piña Weaving in Aklan, alongside sculptural bags by Filipino design collective Pilosopo, and handcrafted macramé by Davao-based Lambod Studio.

For Arceo, these materials are more than a means of construction. They speak to the value of preservation, whether in the textiles we inherit or the ecosystems increasingly threatened by climate change. Found Treasures ultimately asks us to reconsider what we call beautiful, and what we have a responsibility to protect.