Trained as a textile designer, Ana la O&rsquo; muses on the motions of turning limitations into creative springboards.

PHOTOGRAPHY Iana Griner
Ana la O&rsquo; has no illusions about the perception of creating knitwear in tropical climates like ours. Obtaining her textile design training and experience in luxury fabric development between Manila, London, and New York, her craft &mdash; as well as her keen eye for blending restraint and experimentation &mdash; has been shaped by a staunch belief that being adaptable doesn&rsquo;t always have to mean sacrificing vision. &ldquo;Once I know my production limitations for a collection, I try to generate as much emotional impact and technical craft as I can within this system,&rdquo; Ana says. &ldquo;Accepting limitations gives me more mental space and reaction time to consider all the creative possibilities of a single process or material, which leads to more experimental moments in the clothes.&rdquo;

It&rsquo;s a level-headed response to what others may see as a handicap. This mindset, accepting yet curious, has become her drive. &ldquo;[My latest collection, titled] Athletes, is about trying to win,&rdquo; Ana shares. &ldquo;Made amidst Manila's lockdowns, this knitwear capsule features a single raw cotton yarn: an exercise in using minimal input to maximize possibility for beauty, pleasure, ease, and adaptability. We made clothes that adjust [themselves] and reworked mistakes as one-off styles we call &lsquo;rewrites&rsquo;.&rdquo; The entire collection was made by local knitters, and stars the HABI Philippine Textile Council's Philippine-grown, locally spun raw cotton yarn.

Read the full feature in <a href="https://gentrendpublication.com/products/spring-2022-anniversary-issue-maine-mendoza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L'Officiel Philippines' March 2022 print issue</a>.&nbsp;

For Ana la O', The Limit Does Not Exist

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