Here's how Ashley Ortega kickstarted her sleepwear business amid the pandemic

Ashley Ortega isn't just an actress and a host — she's now also a businesswoman!

Last October, Ashley launched Ashleigh Collection, a sleepwear line inspired by vintage fashion, after the pandemic took a toll on her not only financially but also mentally.

How she got it running? Ashley said it was pure patience and motivation.

"Di ko talaga inexpect na I'll have a business this pandemic pero may na experience akong depression, natigil 'yung shooting," Ashley said during an interview on Friday. "It was really hard for me so I decided to do something since I missed working, I missed taping."

"Nawalan ako ng source of income so I decided to make a business that makes me happy," she added.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ASHLEIGH (@ashleigh.collection)

Ashley shared that she started a food business at first, but it didn't bring her joy since her passion lay elsewhere. Things changed when she started trying out her mom's lingerie.

"There was this one time tinry ko lingerie ng mom ko. Since we're all staying at home, just wearing a shirt...gusto ko rin ng magandang suot," the actress said.

"So I started listening to old songs, doon ako na inspire," she added. "It makes me calm, it relaxes my mind, doon ako nakaisip ng designs na ipepeg ko sa vintage pegs and because basically people are buying pajama sets, so I wanna be different so I decided to do my own design."

After finishing her designs and finding the perfect sewer for her, Ashley launched "Ashleigh Collection."

"Materials, ako bumili. I was the one who chose my fabric, my lace. Ako rin naghanap sa packaging," Ashley said. "Shoots ako rin, sa bahay ko lang 'yun instead of renting a studio. Si mommy nalang nagphotoshoot sakin."

"Halos lahat talaga yun, it was all me. That's why I named it Ashleigh, my real name. It's a side of me na not being an artists but being a businesswoman," the actress added. "The process to put it out, the business, sobrang stressful...but it was all worth it."

Ashley said she'll be releasing a whole new collection for her business by next week, just after her lock-in taping for Legal Wives." —JCB, GMA News