It all started with a vintage fabric.

Delby Bragais, an award winning fashion designer and internationally certified image consultant, recalled the memory of her younger years where her fashion and design skills rooted from. “I never expected that I would be ending up as a fashion designer. Do you believe in serendipity? That sometimes things happen for a reason and you will just find yourself in that situation? Yes, it happened to me.” she said.

Short on money to buy personal things she needed for her schooling, Delby recalls how she used her creativity in fashion to earn money for herself. “I was a student, I don’t have salary then, I guess crisis is the mother of creativity. I don’t have money to buy for some things so what I did, I repair my clothes and I raid my mom’s closet, I repair her old clothes and restyle them, then I found a lot of vintage fabrics and sew it. Viola! I have new clothes!” 

A ‘cum laude’ graduate of the University of the Philippines, where she majored in Business Management, she has (MBA) Masters in Business Administration from the same university. Bragais broadened her credentials by taking up short courses at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. “It was a totally different environment for me. They are very daring. I got exposed to what is being done internationally and that gave me a little confidence when I go back here in the Philippines. It was a long and winding road. It wasn’t that my parents gave me the money to provide for my study in New York—no, I made support myself.” she recounts.

Her classmates noticed her stylish modern outfits and they become her first bunch of clients. Great opportunities seamlessly went along the way towards Delby. Through her wide business connections, she was able to design and make corporate uniforms for the employees of big companies in New York like Standard Chartered Bank. “I met a friend who works in Standard Chartered Bank who informed me that there is an open bidding for company uniforms, but I don’t have any idea about commercial looking designs. What I did is I choose good fabrics, not the cheap ones. I still made it very stylish. The pay was good and so from that uniform contract I was able to sustain my schooling in New York. The money I got from there, I invested it to myself. I believe in self-investing because from there, you can see that as a pattern in life.” she says.

The Delby Bragais brand offers contemporary apparel for urban females and males. Edgy, aggressive design underpinned with understated elegance. Bragais specializes in custom-made dresses and limited edition clothes for special occasions with an organic made-by-hand feel, as well as custom designed wedding gowns. Delby advocates of using more sustainable hand-woven fabrics, recycled ‘katsa’, handmade embellishments, and hand embroidery pieces, as her share to protect the environment. Bragais blends different fabrics and textures to show her clients that she can incorporate art and sophistication. 

Clothes will be of the highest quality yet affordable at the same time demonstrating that fine design and creativity are not necessarily determined by the price tag.

Since the brand was built on patronage of long time returning clients, it has made a significant impact for remarkable clothes, Delby has pioneered the fashion statement ‘Celebrate Your Individuality’ in the Filipino context and more importantly has demonstrated that hand-made products can be as profitable and even more glamorous than those made by machine. The company sources the finest fabrics and craftsmanship from across the country thereby reviving great textile skills and providing employment to hundreds of artisans. “We don’t have to look the same, because we have different assets, we have different liabilities. We have our own fashion personality. I would love to encourage every woman to be themselves, express it thought their clothing.” Bragais added.

Delby Bragais as a brand, has been admired and worn all over the country. Its patrons include celebrities, politicians, top corporate CEOs and professionals. In 2015, Delby Bragais has also designed the wardrobes for the Miss Earth contestants for their participation in international beauty pageants such as Miss Universe and Miss World. An impressive number of winners have emerged from amongst these contestants putting Philippines on the beauty map.

For Bragais, fashion is communication and she has developed her non-verbal approach through her unique designs. Reflecting the ancient traditions of Filipino craftsmanship, her understanding of ancient designs and the innovative use of traditional crafts has created a new classicism. She uses different fabrics from different places, to emphasize a “celebration of cultural diversity.” Today Delby Bragais’ creation is renowned for its distinctive use of colors, quality of fabrics, intricate embroideries and a gloriously rich Filipino aesthetic.

And then there's Delby’s strict adherence to her vision, regardless of what the rest of the world is looking for. "I don't do trend, I can say that the number one take away I got from studying in New York is the concept of illusion dressing. I think it is important to have that own point of view on things that makes you different from the other and one of the things that makes me different is I have the expertise in fabrication. Sewing clothes, knowing how garments are being constructed, accurate measurement taking, understanding different types of fabrics and how it will fall on the body, color matching, how silhouettes affects the body, design and proportion—these are the important elements in fashion.”

Meeting and working with many beautiful people (inside and out) in the fashion industry is what Delby Bragais is really thankful for. She believes that she is blessed to be surrounded by the most creative people in the world. These people who has sense and style—they are movers and shakers who have advocacies like her in their own businesses, they are women and men who make things really happen. “I do not create clothes just because it’s in trend, I rather create something that will fit to my clients’ personality and choice. I will look for my client’s best body part that we are going to highlight; I am a little bit detailed when it comes to those things. The concept of illusion dressing is highlighting the best asset and down playing the liability. I focus on my clients; the fashion personality of the client. I am looking at my clients as a unique person, and every person has specific body type. I am designing for the person and not for the trend. I am usually honest and straightforward to my clients because I want to see them comfortable wearing my clothes. I want to hear what they want to say. I am highly collaborative. I talk to my client and suggest.” she says.

Bragais has been recognized for her works not only in her native Philippines. She also received worldwide citation in Singapore, Honolulu and Los Angeles. Her wedding gowns were also been featured in all the major dallies and fashion magazines in the Philippines such as Wedding Essentials, Metro Weddings, Wedding Digest, and the Asian Bride. She is also an in-demand guest and resource person on fashion and image in popular television morning and talk shows in the country.

In September 10, 2015, Delby Bragais gave an exclusive presentation of her Spring/Summer 2016 collection at the iconic Gotham Hall for Style Fashion Week New York Invitation. “I had an opportunity to have an international show in Gotham Hall 1356 Broadway, New York City, NY. Big capital is need when you join this grandiose event. You need a load of financing but the good thing now is you can see other Filipino designers showing up already in this kind of scene. There are more possibilities open for us, Filipinos designers, and because of the social media, the world is flat now.” 

This has inspired Bragais to reinvent herself and become the highly recognized fashion designer and image consultant she is today. Her motto reflects her conviction that “with Hope, dreams do come true!”

Now, Delby P. Bragais AICI CIP, CPC, holds the distinction of being the first and only Filipino with the advanced “Certified Image Professional (CIP)” level of Certification, the highest level of Certification attained by any Filipino in the Image Industry, worldwide. This level of Certification is given only to Image Experts with a proven track record of competence and experience via a rigorous accreditation process by the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) – the world certifying body for Image Professionals based in the United States. Delby is also a Certified Professional Coach by the Center for Coaching Certification based in Charleston, South Carolina, USA and is Internationally Certified by The ByFerial Image Company based in Australia and the United States. 

Today as Delby Bragais entered a new chapter in her career by being the President of the North Road Image & Fashion Group, a corporation that specializes in Image Consultancy & Training as well as Fashion. Focus on designing and delivering training programs for Corporations to help them gain a competitive edge by aligning their employees’ appearance, behavior and communication skills with the Corporate Brand. She also conducts image design, consultations and coaching for notable individuals, entrepreneurs and executives. “Establishing a training academe, changes lives—Personal Development changes lives. I simplify things on personal branding, professional business development, social etiquette and image strategy for businesses. I am gearing to a new dimension now that is more meaningful to magnetize, mesmerize and monetize things.”

Delby P. Bragais AICI CIP, The North Road Image & Fashion Group

Delby Bragais for North Road G/F South of Market Residences, 26th St. cor. 11th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila

P:(02) 5566141

F: (02) 7473723

M:0939-3989899

E: delbysbrides@yahoo.com /delby@delbysbrides.com

W: www.delbysbrides.com