Just Bonita

The city girl is on the island designer Bonita Penaranda on creating a fashion lifestyle, a message of empowerment, and a legacy to celebrate

- MARIAN SAN PEDRO

I love the Victorian era," says designer Bonita Penaranda. "I'm fascinated with vintage things. So, I borrowed the idea from the past, like Queen Victoria empowering herself by wearing corsets. That's the brand's purpose: empowerment."

Some designers took their time to build their names. But in Penaranda's case, it was sudden and necessary-it became a game of survival. She was a celebrity fashion stylist whose job, like that of many, was put in jeopardy because of the pandemic. With 20,000 pesos left in her bank account, she took the risk and invested the meager amount in starting her own brand.

"I was also heartbroken in June of that year," Penaranda admits. "And I didn't want to go back to the place where all my childhood trauma was. I needed a distraction, and I was getting broke."

The Just Bonita label's very first offerings were made-to-order corsets that were tied at the back, with the goal of making such pieces an everyday staple. Despite the many restrictions at the time, the designer was still in an all-out party mindset: she still wanted to dress up and feel sexy-and that became her core.

JUST BEAUTIFUL

During BYS Fashion Week in October 2022, Penaranda was given the Euphoria theme for her collection. It was her first ever show, and the moment she realized her potential as a designer. From the heart-pounding music and pink runway with glitters to the disco ball accent and fitting each piece to the models' personality, it was all her work and grand vision. She didn't want to settle for anything less. The ultimate inspiration? The glamor and fever dream found in one of New York's most famous nightclubs: Studio 54.