In one of those boring lunch breaks some years ago, I stumbled on a link to a relatively new fashion haven on cyberspace, http://houseofglamorosa.multiply.com. Tired and weary, I finally decided to give in to retail therapy to boost my energy. True enough, it worked.
What was supposed to be a breather eventually became a habit. Not a bad habit, mind you. I came to love and favour the brand, especially since it is proudly made by a Davaoeña. My daily visit on cyberspace included a meticulous peek in her site to check if there are new pieces I can add to my closet. And when I say pieces, I mean hundreds from which I prudently choose not more than 6 to 10 items. The selection process is always difficult, time consuming, and even depressing at times (you’d want to buy everything in every color). The clothes are definitely of high quality and style, and, here’s the best part, nothing is priced over Php800.00. Now, who wouldn’t go gaga over that? My closet can attest to my loyalty to the brand. I have pieces from House of Glamorosa for any day and any event, whether with friends or at work.
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| In different hues by House of Glamorosa: Me in blue, turquoise, and orange splattered dress. |
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| Baby blues. Me in a baby blue floral dress to match my daughter's outfit. |
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| The same blue dress paired with a floral bag also by Glamorosa. |
My colleague and fellow clothes horse, Patty, have always frequented the Glamorosa's stalls in various bazaars and during its open house sale.
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| House of Glamorosa regularly participate in different bazaars in Manila and Davao. |
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| Racks and racks of clothes to lurve! |
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| Yes, we also visit the House of Glamorosa. Literally. |
We’re the regular early birds, if I may say so. “House raids,” as we call it, are more fun coz we get to swim through the piles, fit, and purchase the best ones among each collection. And, just as the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. Or make it 2 early birds. And we have never regretted our purchases.
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| Patty and I wearing ensembles from the House of Glamorosa. I love the unique style of this dress which seems to take have taken a bit of inspiration from a dress worn by Serena VDW in a Gossip Girl episode. |
The creative genius behind this brand has definitely given her products much thought. You can tell each piece was carefully chosen. Nothing is redundant or plain. The designs are a mix of classic essentials complemented with a pinch of panache and quirkiness to keep up with the latest trends. Each style is limited only to a few shades, with no more than 1 in stock for each. After all, who would want to be caught dead wearing the same outfit with someone else?
The Seller
House of Glamorosa was conceptualized by a, then, budding young entrepreneur named Carine Cabebe. This Accountancy graduate’s first claim to fame was her win in the Closeup to Fame contest in 2005. Hosting and commercial modelling job appealed to her for a brief period, but she eventually became engrossed to more suitable line of interest cum business: fashion merchandise.
A fashion-fanatic herself, Carine understands that women nowadays are not only fashion-conscious, but most especially brand-conscious. According to her, one of the main goals of her online site is to provide closet staples that would complement her shoppers’ existing high end and branded items, resulting to ensembles that exude class and elegance without having to spend as much.
Established in 2006, the Carine began as a Davao City based fashion accessories designer and retailer, then known as CustomizeMe Accessories. In 2008, she modified her brand and created House of Glamorosa as her products transitioned from fashion accessories to uber fashionable yet highly affordable clothes.
Carine has always loved fashion. Her background in Fashion Merchandising from one of the Philippines’ top fashion schools helped a lot in developing her eye for fashion as she personally scour around the world to acquire ready to wear clothing for women which are inspired by retail giants such as Topshop, Mango, Zara, Forever21 and H&M.
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