By Saige Friedman
ISECAI is simple; create art people haven’t seen before. An art that embodies our true found identity and encourages us to dress however we want with authenticity and confidence, making a statement with our looks.
The collection designer Caitleen Daphne M. Sicat reflects on feeling her favourite place of self-expression was online, in games and digital spaces. She created her collection ISECAI as a safe space for the confident and unhinged expression of self, bringing her digital safe space to reality.
"I wanna leave the world I was left in, to be in a place where I can feel accepted"
The featured collection is called ☆Digital Reflection☆ as it brings to reality an expression of authentic judgement-free expression she initially experienced in games and the online world.
“I created ISECAI for people like me who want to fully express themselves in a world full of criticizing eyes and different lives.”
ISECAI is a safe space, it is a home for self expression.
“I want everyone to be fully creative and unique with no restraints, hand in hand both you in real life and your digital reflection as one.”
On top of ISECAI being born from all things creative, especially within anime and games, it also takes heavy influence from traditional filipino style combined with a modern, artistic, and expressive twist.
The goal of the ☆Digital Reflection☆ collection is a love for art, and a light on the empowering effects of combining of traditional, yet modern and unique designs.
The runway show will have music and lights that make the audience feel like they are entering a game or a digital space. The intent of the runway show is to make the audience walk away feeling happy, inspired and confident about exploring styles outside of their comfort zones. Experimenting with different colours, unique silhouettes, and other fashionable trials they’ve never tried.
In this, ISECAI is a brand to make people feel as though they are not alone. That they feel secure in their uniqueness and expression of their chosen identity.
Caitleen has been sketching designs since elementary school. She upgraded from canvases to painting on bags and shoes eventually evolving into painting on jackets and clothing in 2020. She pursued this further with a fashion design course. After graduating in 2022 Caitleen officially began designing clothes and accessories that are hand made and hand painted.
My sketches are now a tangible piece of art with purpose” says Caitleen in reflection of her journey from sketching designs to bringing them to the runway.
From painting on canvases to painting on pieces worn on the runway and seen through the streets, each piece is a statement of chosen self expression.
“I don't just decorate spaces but I aspire to decorate bodies” says designer Caitleen on her design process and collection intent.
Some of the largest success of games and digital platforms lie sin it’s abilities to create avatars: a way to express yourself without having to match the norm, receive stares or comments. It’s a place we can show up, create our own identity without fear of judgement.
I used to fear being judged for how I want to express myself, the digital space was my escape
Through all of the hand made and hand painted pieces ISECAI will bring concepts such
as joy and clarity to the runway and inspire audiences to be fearlessly expressive.
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