About Vesti
Vesti is derived from the Philippine word, “Bestida” which means to dress or to clothe.
Inspired by the weaving heritage of tribal communities we wished to integrate artisanal craftsmanship with modern structural silhouettes. Firmly dedicated towards working with Mindanao weavers in the Philippines, Vesti was born as one of the industry’s altruistic bag enterprises that promotes cultural heritage and craftsmanship while implementing ethical business practices.
Vesti was first launched in 2012 as a small entrepreneurial venture offering original bags and clutches made in the southern island of the Philippines, Mindanao. Vesti started joining trunk shows, pop up events and then eventually participated in Manila FAME Exhibit, the country’s premier design and lifestyle event from 2013-2015. Thus, began Vesti’s venture into the global market.
As Vesti continues to grow into a global enterprise our focus is to maintain the ethical business practices while moving forward in creating timeless pieces that continue to promote artisanal craftsmanship and celebrate the inspiring stories in Philippine culture. Through positive community building and social initiatives, we continue to pay tribute to our cultural heritage through progressive designs that reflect our distinct style, personal integrity and aspirations.
The founder and designer, Martha Rodriguez was awarded The LOOK of Style Awards for British Council in 2013. She was featured in Designer Spotlight in 2014, Manila FAME: RED BOX Designer for Fashion in 2014, Manila Bulletin’s Young Faces to Watch in Design in 2014, Top 5 in an Entrepreneur Magazine Feature in 2015 and became a Representative of the Philippine’s as ‘Youth as Movers of Creative Industries’ in Southeast Asia by UNESCO and SEACCLD.
She finished her masters with honors in MSc Fashion Business Creation in GCU-British School of Fashion in London, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Clothing Technology in the University of the Philippines and pursued further design studies in the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.
She was born and raised in Mindanao, Philippines. Her rich cultural heritage and exposure to the nations crafts at an early age spurred her passion towards creating her vision for VESTI.