Vlad Bunoan

Mark Lewis Higgins and Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC

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Leah C. Salterio

<p>MANILA -- Celebrating over 60 years of nurturing Filipino fashion talent, Slim’s Fashion &amp; Arts School has partnered with De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) to preserve and pass on the legacy of its founder, National Artist for Design Salvacion Lim Higgins, to the next generation of designers.</p><p>“We are here to honor not only a milestone, but also to celebrate a new chapter and honor the significance of Slim’s legacy. Benilde has always taken bold steps as first in fashion education,” Chit Nocom-Arciaga, director of Slim’s Fashion &amp; Arts School, told ABS-CBN News. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:692px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17573128946906. (L-R) Christine Cheryl Benet, Chit Nocom-Arciaga, Mark Lewis Higgins, Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC, Benhur Ong, and Angelo Marco Lacson.JPG" style="width:692px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Christine Cheryl Benet, Chit Nocom-Arciaga, Mark Lewis Higgins, Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC, Benhur Ong, and Angelo Marco Lacson. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>Christine Cheryl Benet, directress of Slim’s Fashion &amp; Arts School, emphasized in her speech the significance of the integration for Philippine fashion education, noting that Benilde&#x27;s Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program was the country’s first bachelor’s degree in fashion. “With the integration of Slim’s, this pioneering spirit is strengthened even further, solidifying Benilde’s position as one of the premier fashion institutions in the country,” she said.</p><p>Benet, the incoming directress, also pointed to the diversity of the fashion industry, which relies not only on designers with college degrees but also on artisans and technical experts who bring creations to life. &quot;By housing the Slim’s Fashion &amp; Arts School under Benilde, we can now contribute more holistically to the Philippine fashion ecosystem — nurturing not only designers, but also the artisans and technical experts that bring fashion to life,&quot; she said.</p><p>Plans are underway to expand Slim’s courses beyond fashion, into arts and other design-related programs, ensuring students are equipped to meet the evolving needs of the industry.</p><p>“This milestone ensures that Slim’s legacy thrives in the hands of the new generation,” Nocom-Arciaga added. “Together, Slims and CSB will shape a future where fashion education is globally competitive and proudly Filipino.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Homegrown school</strong></div><p>Slim’s Fashion and Arts School was started in Manila by Philippine couture designer Salvacion Lim Higgins and her sister Purificacion.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:692px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757313055732[Supplementary photo] Salvacion Lim Higgins at work, photographed by her daughter Sandra in 1983.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Salvacion Lim Higgins at work, photographed by her daughter Sandra in 1983. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span>“Slim’s is a homegrown school started by my mother in 1960,” said Mark Higgins, the sole heir to the school and the last member of the family holding his mom’s legacy. </div><p>“My mother founded the business in 1947 and started the school in 1960,” he continued. “She wanted to share the knowledge of garment instruction.”</p><p>The sisters wrote highly technical lessons that continue to serve as a solid foundation for the school’s curriculum today – a procedure or learning that has become widely known as the Slim’s Method.</p><p>Present in the ceremonial contract signing were: Angelo Marco Lacson, vice chancellor for academics, DLS-CSB; Bro. Edmundo Fernandez FSC, president, DLS-CSB; Mark Lewis Higgins, Slim’s Fashion and Arts School; Benhur Ong, chancellor, DLS-CSB; Christine Cheryl Benet, School Director, Slims; and Chit Nocom-Arciaga, director, Slim’s Fashion and Arts School.</p><p>Slim’s takes pride in its notable alumni that include the likes of Joe Salazar, Oskar Peralta, Cesar Gaupo, Michael Cinco and Oliver Tolentino.</p><p>Slim’s wishes to pass on its unparalleled track record to the students of CSB through regular courses designed to equip students with the skills necessary to embark on careers in fashion to put up and start their own careers and businesses.</p><p>There are also short workshops available specialized subjects and basic training for those who wish to learn on a non-professional level.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Fashion exhibit</strong></div><p>The clothes on exhibit at the CSB Design and Arts campus are designed by Samantha Raymundo, who recently graduated from Fashion Design and Merchandising (AB FDM). Her collection is her thesis last year about Filipino hoarding culture.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:692px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175731324201211. Short fashion show by FDM alumni .JPG" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Short fashion show by FDM alumni. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>“I want to celebrate a different aspect of Filipino culture,” said Raymundo. “Aside from the typical Filipinianas, I tried to study this certain phenomenon where we tend to keep things and hoard things. I find there’s beauty in that aspect of our culture, so I used that as an inspiration for my thesis collection.”</p><p>Other designers are Rospert Villar, Zanjoe de la Peña, and Daryl Maat, who used see-through fabric with playful patterns.</p>

<p>After more than six decades of shaping the country’s top designers, Slim’s Fashion and Arts School has partnered with De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) to carry forward its legacy and elevate fashion education in the Philippines.</p>

After more than six decades of shaping the country’s top designers, Slim’s Fashion and Arts School has partnered with De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) to carry forward its legacy and elevate fashion education in the Philippines.

Slim’s and Benilde forge alliance to elevate fashion education in PH

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Slim’s and Benilde forge alliance to elevate fashion education in PH

Leah C. Salterio

Published Sep 08, 2025 03:04 PM PHT

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Slim's Fashion & Art School

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