Founders Amina Aranaz-Alunan and Loralee Baron Soong on the evolution of SoFA Design Institute as it trains and produces the next generation of fashion designers in the Philippines
This is an excerpt from the MEGA February 2025 fashion feature
As of this writing, SoFA Design Institute’s 2025 Graduation Fashion Show “Foregather” had just been staged. “The next chapter of design meets here,” the announcement declared as it showcased the collections of Batch 2024’s 2nd and 4th year Fashion Design and Marketing students. The fashion show gave us a glimpse of the future of Philippine fashion full of ambition and innovation, a bold challenge to the present convention—as it should be.
When SoFA started in 2007 with just 30-40 students taking a variety of short workshops. Seventeen years later, SoFA has become a full-fledged CHED (Commission on Higher Education) accredited design college with 400-500 students attending at their new campus in Rockwell Center, Makati.
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“We’ve steadily grown over the years by continuously evolving to meet the needs of aspiring designers,” adds SoFA’s co-founder and Managing Director Loralee Baron-Soong.
“We discovered that there was a gap in the higher education sector for Design. So early in our journey, we made steps towards filling this gap and moving towards a college program,” shares Amina Aranaz-Alunan, SoFA’s co-founder and president.
A safe space to learn and to grow
As women themselves, SoFA’s co-founders recognize the importance of community in helping women succeed in the fashion and design industries.
“Women bring a unique perspective to the fashion and design industry,” Loralee acknowledges, “I find that women are often more detail-oriented and thorough, which are essential traits in balancing creativity and functionality in design. Empowering women and equipping them with the skills and confidence to excel in this industry fosters inclusivity and ensures a diversity of ideas that enrich the field.
She continues, “A supportive community creates an environment where women can thrive. It fosters collaboration,mentorship, and shared experiences that not only empower individuals but also give greater meaning to what we do. When women feel supported, they are more likely to succeed and inspire others in return, creating a positive ripple effect.
Read more of SoFA and its founders in MEGA’s February 2025 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photographed by JHARWIN CASTAÑEDA. Written by STEF JUAN. Art Direction and Production JONES PALTENG. Styling ERICA TEROL. Makeup NADYNNE ESGUERRA. Hair XEAN NUCUM.
