Patchwork magic in an enchanting Yadu bag forest

At the edge of The Collective in Makati is a different kind of wonderland to get lost in. The high-ceilinged space which used to house bicycles from the shop next door has grown into a forest of bags. Upon entering the green-painted wooden double doors, your eyes will dart in every direction. Bags of all colors, shapes and sizes hang from branches, and no space is spared. Even the ramp leading to a cozy mezzanine is filled with bags, none of which are the same.

Yadu bags are all about uniqueness, and each creation is its own combination of patterns and colors, while carrying its owners intentions - no matter what his lifestyle is. Yadu's roots are in Khumbmela, one of the pioneer Philippine bag manufacturers in the 90s. Yadu continues the tradition of quality and attitude. For its designers on board, it's innovation all the way through. The fabric is carefully chosen from ukay-ukay shops. Everything except the straps and other hardware like zippers are new. As much as possible, even the lining is recycled, but they choose newer fabric for durability. The result is a bag with a story, pieces of fabric patched together to create a beautiful whole. Yadu's big daddy is Yadu Saulo, who is a huge supporter of events in general. "He's really for getting people together, and for converging energy," says Bianca Holganza, one of Yadu's designers. Thus, Yadu's space isn't purely for the bags. In one corner is a band setup, and they're considering hosting some exhibits in the future. They have everything from wallets to guitar cases, and they accept custom orders for people who have old unwearable clothes they'd like to keep a part of. "We invite people to bring their own clothes, but now it's re-contextualized because it's not even just clothing. it's just a patch of it that you'll be holding on to and the rest of it will go to somebody else," said Holganza. For now, the bags are sold at an introductory price, an excellent deal considering that every Yadu bag comes with a lifetime warranty. Apart from that, every bag also comes with a name. The names are mostly Sanskrit words like Maha, and are bestowed by Saulo, who is a godfather-like presence in the store. "Tito Yadu is the master-cutter of all the patterns. All have a hand in the designing. He always asks us for suggestions, 'Would this look better? Let's adjust the size of this,' ." shares Holganza. Among Yadu's designers are Creative Director Mimi Sanson, Jeff Gonzalez and Elaine Bobadilla. Instead of a marketing team, Yadu has ambassadors - kindred spirits that they honor for their boldness, integrity, passion and compassion. According to Yadu, the ambassadors were chosen because "the love that these individuals invest in their labor ripples even beyond their direct circles. They create waves to uplift the community at large." Their ambassadors are artists like Musical O's Marco Dinglasan, Kitchie Nadal, Joshua Benson, Manila Collective's husband and wife team: photographer Jake Verzosa and pastry chef Ina Verzosa, archers Elijah Sudama Bismark and Marti Balaram Bismark, and The Late Isabel's Wawi Navarroza. Also an ambassador is organic lifestyle pioneer Mara Pardo De Tavera, who will be bringing Yadu bags to a tradeshow in Milan this month. Only a few weeks old, Yadu is settling comfortably in its space at The Collective. Although it takes a bit of coaxing to get people to come in side the store, once they do enter it's pretty difficult to leave. It's very laidback, with charmingly mismatched secondhand furniture, recycled wood flooring, and mellow lighting. "Its all about sharing, harmony, collaboration, ideas converging. All kinds of ideas are sprouting here and there. It's a great place to be, and it's a great place to really show off Manila," said Holganza. - GMANews.TV YADU is located at The Collective. 7274 Malugay St., San Antonio Vill., Makati City. Contact +63917-517-1985 or facebook.com/YaduBags for more information. Shop hours begin at noon until nine or ten in the evening from Tuesday to Thursday, and until much later on Fridays and Saturdays. Yadu can be found on Sundays at the Legazpi market, where they've been selling their bags for half a year.