Maritess De Ocampo

Mia Arcenas Branellec for ABS-CBN Lifestyle

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782549463133In Article _ Mia Arcenas.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Cebuana designer, Mia Arcenas Branellec | Founder, Mia Arcenas</div>The last time I sat down with designer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/miaarcenasb/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mia Arcenas Branellec</a>, we were in Punta Fuego, watching the sun put on a fiery show against the West Philippine Sea backdrop. The sky blazed in shades of orange and crimson as models dressed in Mia Arcenas walked across a glass runway built over the infinity pool. Guests applauded the finale as the sun slowly slipped below the horizon. It was an unforgettable fashion show, and as always, Mia’s designs carried the effortless elegance that has become synonymous with her name. Sitting down with her again for this interview felt both familiar and surprisingly new. She was still the same warm, bubbly, and funny Mia I had met more than a decade ago, whose beautiful designs had already begun making their mark. But this time, our conversation ventured far beyond fashion. We talked about identity, motherhood, purpose, and the journey of coming home to one&#x27;s self. Her latest <a href="https://www.instagram.com/miaarcenas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">collection</a> may be her most personal yet. For the first time since becoming a mother, she says her work feels completely aligned with who she is today—a woman, a wife, a mother, and a designer who has found her rhythm again. When Everything Aligned When I ask what this collection means to her, Mia immediately conveys it as a story of discovery. “So the latest collection really goes back to my self-discovery,” she says. She recalls how clear her creative vision once felt when she first started designing. “When I started way back in my 20s, I really knew what I wanted. When I close my eyes, I would see ideas, inspiration. And then motherhood happened.” Like many women, her priorities naturally shifted. Children and family came first. The creative energy that once flowed so freely had to share space with a completely different kind of responsibility. “Everything was kind of directed to the children and the family. So, of course, the creativity got lost in translation.” She continued creating collections throughout those years, but something felt different. “I was still trying to create different collections during that time. It just didn’t feel like myself. It didn’t align with me so much.”Today, however, she feels something has shifted.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782533215315MIA ARCENAS_WB_2 FINAL.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:516px"/></div>“But I feel like this time—it’s the year of the horse, and I’m born in the year the horse—I feel like this is really who I am.” For Mia, the collection represents an alignment of every role she inhabits. “These are silhouettes and pieces that really embody who I am as a woman, as a mother, as a wife. It’s everything aligning all at once.” Perhaps that’s why so many women, particularly mothers, have connected with the 2026 Spring/Summer collection. “A lot of my mother friends appreciate the pieces. They see that you can really mix and match and style it however you want, whatever stage you are in your motherhood journey.”<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2026/5/20/hinga-idr-cecil-ravelas-designing-spaces-that-let-us-breathe-again-2327" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: HINGA: IDr. Cecil Ravelas on designing spaces that let us breathe again</a> Designed for Real Life As the interview progressed,  it become apparent that Mia is now designing more for the realities of everyday life, rather than occasions. She now takes into consideration school drop-offs, coffee dates with the husband or friends squeezed between errands, sports events, and more that were part and parcel of everyday family schedules and the constant movement defining modern motherhood. When asked what the collection reveals about where she is as a mother today, she laughs. “So I feel like as a mother, you’re always juggling things, right?” That idea became the foundation of the collection itself. “The collection is really like a playful juggle of everything.” Many of the pieces were intentionally designed to be styled differently depending on a woman’s mood, schedule, or stage in life. “You can go as playful as you want, as loud as you want, or you can kind of mix it with something more subdued.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782469874203Mia Arcenas 3.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:520px"/></div>Rather than dictating how a woman should dress, Mia prefers to offer possibilities. “So the woman is a blank canvas. They can style however they want and they can be whoever they want.” That philosophy extends beyond aesthetics. Motherhood has directly influenced how she designs. “Be who you want to be in whatever stage you are in your motherhood journey.” She understands that most mothers are dressing for lives that rarely slow down. “You have those difficult days where you’re running errands, you’re watching the kids, going to their sports games, and all that.” As a result, comfort, practicality, and versatility have become central considerations. “So I designed the pieces to be more relaxed.” The goal isn’t perfection. It’s ease. “It’s easy pieces that you can wear every day and style with your current outfits at home.” Finding Balance Through the Beautiful Chaos Like most working mothers, Mia admits that balance remains an ongoing practice rather than a goal or destination. She shares, “I feel like life as a whole is really all about balance.” She’s honest about the fact that she is still figuring it out herself. “With motherhood, you’re juggling things. I’m still there in the thick of it, trying to find that balance.” What helps, she says, is planning ahead. Her children’s schedules come first, then work. Everything else finds its place around those priorities. She says, “I prioritize my kids, of course, their schedules. And then next is my career, my designing, my work in the studio.” For Mia, balance isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about creating structure. She explains, “So I set those schedules in advance, so I can make sure that I have direction, I have my plans.” The same intentionality shapes the advice she gives to other mothers. She believes quality matters more than quantity. Mia says, “What works for me is getting to spend quality time with the kids and the family, and then I can be more inspired and creative to go back to my work.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178249115591144.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:377px"/></div>Sometimes that means protecting entire weekends for family. Other times it means turning off distractions and being fully present in the moment. She adds, “It’s really about quality for me rather than quantity.” She believes even a full day together doesn’t necessarily mean connection. According to Mia, “Sometimes you can spend the whole day with someone you love and then you’re just on your phones or you’re busy doing other things.” For her, meaningful relationships require both intention and attention, so it is important to set that time and plan ahead to have quality time with the people you love. Real and Down to Earth In an era dominated by social media, fast fashion, and constantly changing trends, Mia’s approach feels refreshingly real and down to earth. When asked how she stays connected to creating meaningful and timeless pieces, her answer returns to authenticity. “I just feel when you’re true to yourself, your aesthetic, your identity, then there are always people who will gravitate to that.” Rather than chasing what’s popular, she prefers to focus on longevity, saying, &quot;I want to be sustainable. I want to have that quiet luxury feel, timeless pieces that you can carry on, and maybe share with your daughter or share with your sister.” It’s a philosophy that naturally embraces re-wearing, which is a practice she strongly supports. When asked what her take on it is, she declares: “Well, I love the idea of re-wearing. It makes you more creative and interesting if you’re able to style that one piece and have it for a casual brunch, and then wear it to a gala.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782633015218MIA ARCENAS_PQ_1_FINAL.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:761px"/></div>She believes styling the same piece in different ways is far more creative than constantly purchasing something new. Rather than seeing outfit repetition as something embarrassing, she sees it as an opportunity to practice creativity. For Mia, there&#x27;s a charm to re-wearing. She adds, “I find it quirky, creative, and interesting rather than something to look down on.” For those who still feel hesitant, her advice is simple and encourages them to take their time, saying, “If you’re not ready yet, don’t go for it.” She suggests spacing it out between events, until one is comfortable enough to repeat the outfit. She also reminds us that there are many online resources to refer to for re-wearing advice and tips. But she also believes attitudes are changing. “I think it’s becoming more of a trend, right? Because people want to be more sustainable and responsible about what they wear and what they have.” The Quiet Luxury of Handmade While Keeping Craftsmanship Alive Mia also sees a growing shift in how women shop. She has observed that they are not necessarily buying more, but rather, they are buying more intentionally. She has noticed how clients respond to thoughtful details that are often overlooked in mass production. Whether it’s mother-of-pearl accents, handcrafted elements, in-lay carving, and unique finishing touches, many appreciate the craftsmanship behind a piece.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782407851566Mia Arcenas Accessories_2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="397.995" style="width:397.995px"/>Photo courtesy of Mia ArcenasThat commitment to craftsmanship extends beyond design and into the livelihoods of the artisans she works with. Many of her pieces and accessories are handmade in Cebu. For Mia, supporting local craftspeople is very personal. She reflects that this is actually a dying industry. But she speaks with pride about helping sustain skills that might otherwise disappear.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782407905140Mia Arcenas_Accessories 3.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="395.99" style="width:395.99px"/>Photo courtesy of Mia Arcenas“I have that certain niche market for those who still appreciate handmade pieces. One-of-a-kind, something you don’t just find off the rack.” More importantly, she understands the impact it has on the people behind the work.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782407954499Mia Arcenas Accessories.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="391.992" style="width:391.992px"/>Photo courtesy of Mia ArcenasShe explains that some of them are not educated with college degrees. They work with their hands. Their craft is their livelihood. And seeing orders return has brought renewed energy to the community she works with. Mia shares how her team in Cebu appreciates that they are getting orders again, and how they are getting to do what they know. The Gift of Presence As our conversation winds down, I ask Mia, beyond collections, career milestones, and business success, what kind of legacy she hopes to leave behind? Her answer was clear, “I want my kids to remember that I really was there with them. I want them to feel that I was really present.” She hopes they remember school pick-ups, shared meals, the eye contact they made across the table. These seemingly small moments often become the biggest memories. “When they look back, I want them to remember that—&#x27;oh, my mom was really there.&#x27;” </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782633056359MIA_PQ_2_FINAL.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:735px"/>Mia shares that it’s a lesson she learned from her own mother. “Even if she was traveling all over the world, attending all the trade shows, being full on with her career, she didn’t forget to really check in on me and spend that quality time.” Now she hopes to bless her children with that same gift of presence she experienced with her mom.</div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2026/6/21/katrina-tantoco-lobregat-what-fatherhood-looks-like-through-my-eyes-0324" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Katrina Tantoco-Lobregat: What fatherhood looks like through my eyes</a> Blooming Through It All Motherhood, she says, has changed everything. It has humbled and challenged her. It has also taught her to live beyond herself. Mia shares, “As a mother you suddenly surrender.” But she believes it has also revealed strengths she didn’t know she possessed. She elaborates, “Motherhood really humbles you. And then it gives you the strength and inspiration because from all of the chaos and challenges, you’re still able to bloom.” Today, she feels grateful for the journey, the friendships she’s built with other mothers, and for the community that continues to support her. “I feel like I’ve made a lot of really good mom friends that are really rooting for me.” Asked what a meaningful life looks like now, her answer is pretty simple. It&#x27;s not about comparison, achievements, or keeping up. She says, “For me, a meaningful life is really not comparing yourself to others.” She believes it&#x27;s about looking inward instead, slowing down, and trusting what feels right, while carving out some precious time for the people who matter most. Mia puts it honestly: “At the end of the day, it’s really the time spent with your loved ones.” Perhaps that is what makes this collection feel different. It isn’t just a collection of clothes. It’s the reflection of a woman caring for her family, and discovering that finding herself again did not require becoming someone new. It simply meant allowing herself to come home to who she had been all along.<div> </div><div>Mia is wearing Mia Arcenas, photographed by Jonathan Cellona. </div><div>Special thanks to Pam Begre. Shot on location at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mesy.club/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mesy</a> in Alabang Country Club.</div>

In this exclusive interview, Cebuana designer Mia Arcenas Branellec opens up about motherhood, creativity, the journey of finding her rhythm again, and creating a collection that feels aligned with the woman she is today.

In this exclusive interview, Cebuana designer Mia Arcenas Branellec opens up about motherhood, creativity, the journey of finding her rhythm again, and creating a collection that feels aligned with the woman she is today.

Mia Arcenas Branellec on motherhood, creativity, and finding her rhythm again

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Mia Arcenas Branellec on motherhood, creativity, and finding her rhythm again

Mawi Fojas De Ocampo

Published June 27, 2026 11:54 AM PHT

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Updated June 28, 2026 10:58 PM PHT

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Mia Arcenas

Mia Arcenas Branellec

Motherhood

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Intentional Living

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