BEATRICE SAMSON
Founder/Designer
Studio Paraluman®
Bea graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Major in Management Economics in March 2009, and pursued her interest in design and attended fashion school beginning June 2009. In 2013, she represented Slim’s Fashion and Arts School, and was among the top 5 designers of the Preview Emerging Fashion Talent Awards, a competition organized by Preview magazine. In the same year, she launched her namesake label, Bea Samson, after she graduated and completed courses in Fashion Design, Dressmaking, and British Bespoke Tailoring and other fashion education workshops.
Since then, Bea has been gaining experience in creating collections and custom-made pieces. Her works have merited recognition and awards by key individuals and reputable publications in the Philippine fashion industry as well as in other countries as a promising emerging designer. Bea has showcased her creations during the Manila Fashion Festival and Ayala Style Origin’s Mensweek, in exhibits, and in competitions. Though relatively new in the industry, she has gained the respect of her peers, both veterans and fellow up and coming designers, because of her original fabric designs and prints, meticulous craftsmanship and eye for detail, work ethic, and high quality work. She has collaborated with brands and individuals too - in 2014, she collaborated with Suyen Corporation’s womenswear brand, Kashieca, for its Little Black Dress holiday collection, and in 2017, with Keds for its “Elevate Your Style” project and Kim Jones for her project with Dior in Paris. In 2016, Bea represented the Philippines and showcased her ASEAN-inspired collection, Paraluman, during Air Asia’s Runway Ready Designer Search during Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week in August. In the next months, she received an award for Special Recognition for Outstanding Talent in Fashion Design, and also presented her creations at 6th Philippine Fashion Ball and at the Manila Fashion Festival. In 2017, Bea launched Paraluman®, her brand that she founded in 2016. She did the first showcase of Paraluman® as one of the top 10 finalists of the Bench Design Awards. In 2018, Bea represented the Philippines again as she participated in and showcased her creations at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week.
Bea also has expanded her brand as her business and a creative space, Studio Paraluman®. Since then, she has been creating pieces and collections of contemporary luxury designs that embody beauty and class, fine craftsmanship, sophisticated taste, and intelligent design. Bea seeks inspiration from various interests such as art, film, music, and architecture. She loves to take photos and transform them into unique prints for her designs, and she also loves to play with silhouettes, textures, and fabric manipulation and treatments.
Bea is also passionate about supporting the local craftsmen. Through her brands and the projects of Studio Paraluman®, she continuously aims to promote Filipino talent globally and also to establish quality fashion manufacturing in the Philippines. Her upcoming projects and goals include collaborations — she wants to work with Filipino weavers from the provinces in the Philippines to produce custom fabrics (such as organic silk, cotton, and pineapple), artisans to create locally-sourced and locally-produced home goods, and other talents to create more designs of art and fashion.