Blast From The Past

I just discovered that my father Cefe's guest in this photo 

was Ms. Armi Kuusela-Hilario during their shoe company

"Meg's" Marikina Shoe Trade Fair exhibit in the 1960's

Lovely Armi Kuusela-Hilario from Finland, in a beautiful Filipino Terno

greets President of the Philippines that time Elpidio Quirino.

Together with her is Miss Philippines 1951 Teresita Villareal.

More on Ms. Armi at

http://francisguintu.blogspot.com/2011/09/miss-universe-1952-armi-kuusela-hilario.html

Shūbizz opens at SM City Cebu

Shūbizz opens it's first store outside Metro Manila

at SM City Cebu 2nd level main mall

passing through into North Wing

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Bright clean interiors and an obliging sales staff

assures you of a wonderful shopping experience.

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from fabulous flats and sexy wedgies...

colorful fun bags that delight your palette

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 suede peep-toe heels with metallic accents....

amusing colorful flats...

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Shūbizz is fun and young at heart...!!!!

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Simply KC press conference

KC Concepcion

Simply KC

Figliarina loot bag for Simply KC press con

Viva Films Channel Interview on Figliarina by Shūbizz

A shoemaker steps up / BusinessWorld article Aug. 10 2009

BY HANNAH M. MURALLA, Special Features Assistant Editor

A shoemaker steps up

SINCE THE LIBERALIZATION of the shoe industry, imported and cheaper footwear have given locally-made shoes a run for their money. When the Asian financial crisis struck in 1997, times became worse for local shoemakers, driving many to stop operations. However, a resilient few have refused to bow out to foreign competition, like Figlia, a Marikina-bred shoe label, that until now remains tough as old boots.

Figlia, which means “daughter” in Latin, was built in 1986 by Joey Enriquez, who comes from a family of shoemakers. His father, Ceferino Enriquez, was the artisan behind Meg’s, a shoe brand popular in the 1950s.

Then a 26-year old idealistic shoemaker, Mr. Enriquez set-up Figlia Ladies Fashion Footwear with some basic machinery he inherited, minimal capital and his father’s existing suppliers who were willing to give him credit. “All I had was some courage to make it on my own and some innate creativity, which I think I got from my father,” he said.

Soon, Figlia found its way in the country’s leading chain of malls. Encouraged by the warm response to his shoes, Mr. Enriquez started thinking about expanding the business. But just when he was about to add more branches, the financial crisis hit the region, which not only thwarted his expansion program but forced Mr. Enriquez to lay-off employees and eventually close the shoe factory entirely. “My financial resources were limited. I was hit hard by the Asian crisis as interest rates skyrocketed and funds suddenly became difficult to come by,” he recalled.

Suddenly idle, he flew to New York and took up a course to further his shoemaking skills at the Parson’s School of Design. Returning to the Philippines in 1998, he found a partner in Chan Kok Bin, the businessman behind shoe labels like Celine and Traffic, who infused capital into the ailing shoe brand and put Mr. Enriquez back in business.

Giving up his brainchild had been difficult, but Mr. Enriquez saw the benefits of the acquisition. “[Figlia was] able to broaden its local distribution network to encompass all market segments. I was able to focus on my strength as a designer and concentrate on product development and marketing,” he said.

Joey Enriquez with business partner Chan Kok BinSince its relaunch, Figlia has positioned itself as a mid-market ladies fashion shoe label in the country. The merger has also allowed Mr. Enriquez, now vice president of Mr. Chan’s Charter International, Inc., to launch new shoe labels such as M. Nicole, Figlia Couture, Figliarina, and Shubizz.

But just over a decade since the Asian crisis, Mr. Enriquez is again faced with another slump. The current downturn has resulted in weaker demand for Philippine-made products abroad and shoe exports, in particular, have declined substanstially. However, armed with lessons from 1997, Mr. Enriquez is more optimistic about overcoming the present crisis.

“We take a long-term perspective in our expansion and we project that the economy would have recovered two to three years from now,” he said, adding, “With this financial crisis comes opportunities, too. We are looking more closely on our organization and analyzing how we can improve on operations, production and quality control. Through the years we have been prudent in our buying patterns and as a fashion company, we have invested more on product research and development.”

Despite the ongoing financial slowdown, Mr. Enriquez shared that Figlia and its sister brands have been performing better than last year. “We have experienced all changes the shoe industry tackled in the past 54 years. It is for the love of making shoes that we are still here. I am fortunate that I share this passion with my business partners.”

http://entreprenews.com.ph/main.php?id=081009.feature

Joey Enriquez feature on twBF

On its 13th and finale episode, twBF features Joey Enriquez of Figlia shoes on its Tagumpay (personalities with rags-to-riches and life-changing stories) segment. Premiered November 16, 8-9 a.m. on CS9 (formerly known as RPN 9), the program showcases inspiring personalities, uplifting community events, and Marikinas best practices.

Mayor Marides Fernando present her five co-hosts on twBF: Aumar Aguilar, Dense Modesto, Ingrid Nieto, Noelle Cassandra, and Halley Chippiazzi. Fernando, said that through twBF, she hopes to share with televiewers key life lessons and important values that have shaped the thinking and character of Marikina and its people, giving them the impetus to continually become better.

Join Figlia Shoes Groups on Facebook

You are invited to join
Figlia Shoes Groups on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=62164236248

Star Magazine 1983

I entered the seminary of Christ the King in high school and later came out to help in our shoe business....

Spoiled for choice - Manila Bulletin article

Spoiled for choice
by Yonina Chan

Shūbizz pampers your feet with the widest range of fun styles.

THE excitement, the play, and the fun of footwear design is very much evident in the fabulous Shūbizz boutique full of glorious, glamorous rows of colorful, elegant footwear, from wide faux white leather strap pumps with oversized rivet details all the way down to the heel, to wedges wrapped in rich, red vintage paisley patterns with bead and sequin details, to the signature, soon-to-be-classic, pointed-toe stiletto sneaker boots that exploded in popularity when they first came into the fashion scene some time ago. The selection certainly reflects one thing about the designs: that when they were created, it was pure play, pure magic, and pure genius at work.

The Shūbizz boutique houses one of the trendiest local commercial footwear lines, Figliarina, which has been known for its amazingly trendy range of designs and shockingly—yes, that’s the right word—affordable prices. With styles that sometimes look like they’re straight off the catwalk, Shūbizz has made sure high fashion footwear for every season and reason is so accessible to everyone that the only deterrent left to looking fabulous and walking tall is taste.

The original line which Figliarina hails from is Figlia, which started in 1986, from the leather footwear business of the family of vice-president and line builder Joey Enriquez.

Years later, after several studies in entrepreneurship and economics, as well as a single, defining course in shoe design at Parson’s New York, Joey established the company as a new, trendy, very fashion forward brand, distributed in department stores at friendly prices. In 1998, Figlia eventually forged a partnership with Celine, establishing the company Charter International, under which three lines developed: the original Figlia which maintained classic, office footwear for more mature buyers; the avant-garde and more affordable Marie Nicole which found its way to shelves in several major department stores; and Figliarina the very trendy and extensive collection of footwear launched in the very first independent Shūbizz store in Greenhills in 2004.

Currently, Shūbizz is expanding into a line itself, to host all of the company’s sport-style shoes, including the sneaker-boot. Most of the items, however, will be focused on highly functional sports shoes which can be used for walking and trekking in comfort. The newest boutique Joey has formed in partnership with the Celine Group is the huge popular and even more price-friendly So Fab! (Try finding a deconstruct denim woven wedge with colorful button details or a vintage fabric-wrapped sandal for less than P700.)

Figlia, Marie Nicole and Figliarina shoes are available at Landmark and all major SM department stores, including the soon to open Mall of Asia. Shubizz is located at The Shops in Greenhills, Shangri-La Mall, SM Fairview Annex, and SM San Lazaro. So Fab! is located in Glorietta, SM San Lazaro, Crossings department store, and Ayala Center in Cebu.

Sunday June 11, 2006

Link:
http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/06/11/I2006061166384.html

Joey Enriquez...

Joey Enriquez was born fourth of seven children on May 1, 1960 to shoemaker father Ceferino Roxas Enriquez and housewife/uppermaker Gloria Victorino who started their shoe factory in 1955 the year elder bother, Reynaldo was born. It was a flourishing business from childhood pictures and memories customers line up at the Marikina factory along JP Rizal to have their shoes made.

In 1986, Joey started his own business under the label "Ceferino et Figli" or Ceferino and children in Latin. Later his label will transform into shorter "Figlia" or daughter as his footwear collection are exclusively for ladies. Joey would take time off to study shoe design course at Parson's School of Design in New York City and in 1998 become partners with Celine Marketing Corp.'s Mr. Chan Kok Bin and Vicky Chan with the company Charter International, Inc.

Figlia is available in all SM shoemart department stores nationwide. Other brands now are M.Nicole by Figlia, leather line Figliarina shoes and bags and Shūbizz teens active footwear with boutiques at The Shops Greenhills, Shangri-La Edsa Mall, SM Southmall and SM Fairview.