Celestial Selections from Celestina

From the foyer alone, the mistress of the house comes across as a sophisticated, creative lady. This is the home of former fashion model and style icon, TINA MARISTELA OCAMPO.

It’s an old house that was renovated to look retro-modern, but it’s not her chic home that has everyone talking lately.

Check out Charlie’s Angel gal, Drew Barrymore at the recent Golden Globe Awards. She’s holding one of Tina’s now trendsetting Celestina bag.

Here’s Oscar-winning actress Halley Berry at the People’s Choice Awards, holding a Celestina.

Tina and her husband Ricco Ocampo are Manila'smost successful fashion entrepreneurs. They’ve established brands like sari sari, i2i, black shop and mix.

They made world-class design and service available to the average Pinoy.

Now with Celestina, they’re bringing the finest Philippine products to the world.

Tina got idea from home accessories that Ricco was designing.

When Tina had 25 prototype bags, she went to New York . RafeTotengco, the established Filipino bag designer, introduced her to the accessories editor of Vogue magazine.

The Barney’s CEO personally chose the Celestina bags. The Vogue article came out in December and the rest as they say is history. Celestina is now being sold in luxury boutiques around the world.

Celestina is sold in Barneys across the USA, Jeffrey in New York, Joyce in Hong Kong, Browns in London and in Paris. Also available in luxury online shop www.vivre.com.

This is the bag that the Vogue editors went crazy over. It’s also similar to what Halley Berry used. It is made of handwoven silver, inspired by the humble coin purse.

It’s the combination of traditional materials and modern styling that makes the Celestina more than just the usual Filipino handicraft.

This is the Maricel Soriano bag, made of abalone shell.

Tina says it is more chic to have the luxury inside. so she keeps her shell bags un lined and un embellished.

The most popular one is the Paqcquiao. It’s the bag that every store abroad has ordered.

Tina’s personal favorite is the Masbate,named after her parents’ hometown. It is made of penshell, but resembles tortoise shell.

Then there's the bag called Emilio Aguilar Cruz. It is made of shagreen, the skin of a sting ray.

Tina’s bags are priced from six hundred dollars up and up can mean six thousand dollars for a crocodile skin bag.

Celestina’s next line is jewelry made of ivory, jade, and gold with Tina’s modern aesthetic.

All of this happened in less than a year. In that short span of time she made it to Vogue Magazine; she made it to Barneys, and to Hollywood.

Check out Urban Zone for more details, airing Sundays, 12 MN, over ABS-CBN Channel 2 =)