This is an excerpt from the MEGA June 2025 Designer Profile
Trude Lizares’ signature casual dresses carry the placid and assured simplicity of the modern woman. Behind the name is a multi-talented designer whose intentionally crafted pieces are deeply entwined with her community. Decades before conversations about sustainability and social responsibility started reshaping fashion, Trude Lizares had already adopted these as her core philosophy as a creator.
“What I do is defined by who I am,” proclaims Trude, reiterating that it is more than just a business or making a name for herself. Her wearable pieces’ neutral and minimalist distinction requires a painstaking process of sourcing the most sustainable materials and hours of meticulous handiwork by local artisans.
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To understand Trude’s philosophy, one must go back to her beginning as a young artist, when her early exposure to art also ingrained in her an appreciation for local culture and community. She grew up in Negros from a privileged background in a house frequented by great artists like Jose Joya, Cesar Legaspi, and Raul Isidro. At 11, she was already a member of the Art Association of Bacolod that her father founded. “My father was a realtor but an artist at heart. His goal in founding the AAB was not to enrich himself but to help the struggling artists in Bacolod. That opened my eyes to enjoying one’s passion while making a difference in the lives of others.”
As early as she was a teenager, when she started designing and hand-painting clothes for the non-profit House of Negros, she already had an awareness of the ingenuity that abounds in her hometown and, from the onset, has tapped local makers and utilized indigenous materials in her designs. At 18, she co-founded her first fashion label, Jeunesse—a handpainted ready-to-wear line that employed working students and local artisans during the sugar crisis in the 80s.
In 2017, after designing her daughter Katrina’s wedding gown, carefully sourcing local materials, and employing indigenous techniques to create a hand-embroidered and hand-beaded piña serpentine gown, she co-founded her eponymous label, this time with Katrina as her partner.
The brand is committed to using only natural sustainable organic fabrics and materials. “To reach more communities, I have ventured into weaving and designing hablons; silk cocoons, which I recently designed abstract paintings on; piña, embroidery, and appliqués.”
In all its simplicity and understated elegance, it is easy to spot a Trude Lizares creation, from the quality of the material, whether it is handwoven piña or silk cocoon, or the impeccable craftsmanship that goes into each embroidery. “Our commitment to the environment and fair labor practices have made our market slimmer as the price points are higher, but it’s about making a difference rather than mere business.”
If they put a high value on their products, it is because they also hold their partner artisans in high esteem. “Our partner makers are trained to believe in themselves and view their work not simply as a piece of garment but as an extension of themselves. Some have been with me since my eldest was born. They’re really like family to me and me to them.”
Trude Lizare’s pieces are meant not only to be versatile and worn from day to night; they are designed to withstand trends and be handed down. The pieces are relaxed and flatter all body types, from semi-a-line dusters in pure linen to cami tops in organic silk cocoons embellished with floral embroidery. “I’ve always had this innate drive to make others feel and look their best, so I create pieces that bring out the best in everyone.”
Read and see more of Trude Lizares’ designs in MEGA June 2025 issue now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photographed by JERICK SANCHEZ. Styled by ERICA TEROL. Art Direction TROY NONATO. Sittings Editor STEF JUAN. Makeup NADYNNE ESGUERRA. Hairstylist PATTY CRISTOBAL. Model ULIANA
