Celebrating AANHPI Month: Filipino-American designer wins Peoria Fashion Week Designer of the Year

PEORIA (25News Now) – First designated in 1992 by President George H. W. Bush, the month of May reminds us to honor the many contributions and accomplishments of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community

One Filipino-American woman, Abegail Alms, is already making a name for herself in Peoria. At Peoria’s Fashion Week, she was named the 2024 Designer of the Year.

Alms owns Mabuhay Leather Craft in the Northwoods Mall and is a master leathersmith.

Alms always knew she wanted to start a life in the United States.

“Growing up, we didn’t have much. I wanted to go to college longer, but I only went for a year, and then I had to work to support my siblings,” said Alms.

In 2013, she came from the Philippines and left her home in Pangasinan after she met her now-husband, Aaron, an American citizen. However, once she arrived, the language barrier and being far from family were her biggest obstacles, and she said they still are.

“I’m still learning, it’s hard. I miss my family and the food,” said Alms.

Despite the challenges, Alms found a passion for leather crafting when her brother-in-law Zach gave her a crash course.

“I’ve always loved arts and crafts; I started watching lots of videos online, like how to make bags and how to make wallets out of leather,” said Alms.

She initially sold her items online through platforms like Etsy. Just this year, she brought her online craftsmanship into a storefront at the Northwoods Mall.

“It’s a lot of work, but it feels great. I’m really happy with how it turned out,” she said.

The majority of her experience is in making leather accessories and armor. When she was asked to participate in Peoria Fashion Week, she was hesitant, as she had no prior experience in fashion design with leather. However, she found no obstacle too big to overcome and showed this theme through her designs.

“My theme was warrior women. When my dad died in 2019, I wasn’t there for him. I was here in the United States, and he was in the Philippines, so I felt like I couldn’t do anything for him,” said Alms. “I wanted to fight with him. [It’s about] facing your struggles and your trials and being a warrior within yourself.”

Persevering through her doubts, Alms was very pleased with what she accomplished as a new fashion designer in a short time.

She said the idea of the “American Dream” since moving to the U.S.

“I came here and saw you could do pretty much anything. If it’s your passion, you can make it happen. There are a lot of opportunities here,” said Alms.

Alm’s next goal is to continue improving her design skills and teaching others about the art of leather crafting.

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