EURICA CUIZON

‍ ‍ Born in Cebu, Philippines, my family immigrated to Canada in 2005 in pursuit of the “North American Dream.” I was raised in Victoria, B.C., surrounded by nature and island life. Moving from one island to another felt strangely familiar, although the weather was definitely not the same.

When I first arrived, I didn’t speak a lick of English. I remember speaking to my kindergarten classmates in Bisaya, innocently assuming they understood everything I was saying. As I progressed through grade school, I was placed in mandatory ESL classes, and by the age of ten, I could comfortably speak both languages- a bilingual diva.

Creativity was always present in my family. I grew up around aunties who sewed, grandmothers who cross-stitched, a father who painted, and a brother who designed jewelry. My mom even had a styling gig once a week, dressing our family cohesively for Sunday Mass. I wasn’t the biggest fan of being matchy-matchy with my family, but she ate, respectfully. Art was always encouraged in our household, even if practicality ultimately trumped passion. No one in my family had pursued art as a career, but their creativity was something I absorbed from an early age.

As I grew older, media became another source of inspiration. With Pinterest and Tumblr on my iPod Touch and my constant begging for monthly subscriptions to Teen Vogue, I became increasingly enthralled by the world of fashion and styling. Teen Vogue soon became my bible. I took its styling tips and translated them into outfits of my own, experimenting with pieces and creating looks for school. Eventually, people began complimenting my style, and clothing became a way to connect with others a conversation starter and, more importantly, a form of self expression.

Fashion gave me a language of my own. When I couldn’t always find the right words to explain how I felt, I could express myself through what I wore. Clothing became an escape, a creative outlet, and a way of understanding myself.

Looking back, I’m beyond grateful to have come this far doing something I genuinely love. Everything I create is influenced by the people and experiences that shaped me; the women who sewed and cross-stitched, my father who painted, my brother who designed, and my mother who taught me that getting dressed could be an art in itself. I carry their creativity with me in every project I create and every project I’m fortunate enough to be a part of. What started as a family surrounded by art, a childhood spent between two islands, and a girl finding her voice through clothing has ultimately become the foundation of how I see and create in the world.