A 23 years old, Edmonton-based fashion stylist and the proud owner of her fashion e-commerce store ‘Gikan,’ Angelli Garcia is one of my favourite people to follow for style on Instagram. I’ve come to admire her effortlessly sexy style, all while being sophisticated. Her style mantra, she quotes, “I wear whatever I feel like wearing. I go for pieces that are timeless and last me long.”

Here she shares the products that make her skin glow, the muses that inspire the beautiful work of Gikan, and her golden beauty rule (that everyone needs to hear).

What was your idea of beauty when growing up?

“Growing up in the Philippines, colorism was a big part of my culture. I think colorism exists in most of the cultures. The standard of beauty was that the lighter and skinnier you are, the better off you are in life. It’s not right for any specific body type or colour of the skin to be the standard of the beauty.”

When it comes to your style, what’s your mantra?

“My mantra, I would say, is I wear whatever I feel like wearing. I usually tend to go for pieces that are timeless and last me long. I don’t have a set style since I love sportswear just as much as skirts and dresses. Since working retail at Nike for a while, I’ve collected my fair share of Jordans and Nike sneakers. The only rule I have when it comes to personal style is to wear everything with confidence.”

The name of your brand is ‘Gikan’, what does it mean?

“Gikan means to come from in Bisaya. I carry my language and culture within me daily, and that is something I don’t want to lose sight of in my work.”

How did ‘Gikan’ start?

“Gikan started in 2019, with handcrafted bags. I bought scrap fabric from Cebu. 

I decided to rebrand and provide a clear vision of what gikan is. Through Gikan, I openly embraced my culture after feeling a massive disconnect from it when I first moved here.

In Gikan, you will see a significant impact of my culture in my designs and how I create every piece with purpose. Gikan normalizes that we are different, making us all beautiful-just the way we are. And that’s empowering to me. My intent with Gikan is to bring quality handmade products, all the while having the image of a modern Filipina as my muse and inspiration.”

Out of all the designs from your collection, which one of them is closest to your heart and why?

The Cebu top because it was the one that got Gikan off the ground. At first, I was selling bags with traditional Filipino textile lining, but that didn’t work as successfully as Gikan is now. The Cebu top got so popular so quickly. I made it for myself first, and everyone else loved it too. So, I hold it very near and dear to my heart.

What is your philosophy when it comes to creating designs?

“My philosophy, when it comes to creating, is simple but also timeless. To create more with less. I skip fast fashion trends and keep the style like our Cebu top. That top fits all body types, and I think that’s beautiful. I intend to design all my pieces to be more inclusive for everyone in all shapes and sizes.”

What’s your muse when creating your clothes and bags?

“The pride I feel in being a Filipina” is the driving force behind my fashion pieces. I get inspired by the deep blue ocean, the green trees, and Cebu’s sun’s warmth while brainstorming ideas for designs. And, you will see these colours reflected in all Gikan designs.”

You mentioned earlier that you handcraft all your merchandise. That’s pretty impressive. Can you describe the process? 

“I start with a vision in my mind. I typically get my ideas at the oddest hours, like at 3 am. Then, I create a pattern for it. After experimenting with some samples’ vision, I go ahead and do it on the actual material and from there on, I sew. 

As for earings, I usually play around with the different clays’ colours and see what I like the best. 

Of course, I wouldn’t want to put anything out for accessories and clothing that I wouldn’t like, or I wouldn’t wear. So, that’s one of my top priorities.”

How is your skin so gorgeous? Walk us through it.

Thank you!!

It took a lot of trial and error for me to get the right products for my skin. My skin routine completely changed after my trip to Asia (Korea and Japan), where I discovered a lot of AMAZING skin care products that have worked magic on my skin.

Before that, I used skincare from Boxy Charm. I am thankful for the $30 subscription box each month, which allowed me to experiment with different skincare and makeup products.

I start off by washing my face with Senka White Clay Facial Cleanser. Then, I use The Ordinary Toning solution. After, I put on Hadalabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist followed by The Ordinary Plant-Derived Squalane. Finally, I moisturize using my First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. My skin would be a wreck without it.

My final step after the moisturizer is the Dr. Jart Cicapair Cream. I LOVE this cream.

Exfoliation?

Yes, I exfoliate twice a week or when I feel the need for it. Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion is my favourite but the St. Ives Anti-Acne scrub is more affordable and also works well with my skin. I wash with a cleanser right after or the other way around. It’s not a huge deal to me which one I put first.

I dermaplan once a week to get rid of the little fuzzies or any dead skin. Right after I use The Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. I LOVE the mask. It makes a HUGE difference on the skin because my skin feels brand new and fresh after.  

If you could only use one skincare product all your life, what would it be and why?

” Without a doubt Cicapair. It corrects all the redness on my skin. It’s a beautiful green in colour but after a while, it blends into your skin. When I wake up, it looks like I have used concealer on my skin. It gets rid of all the unevenness on my skin. It’s is my FAVOURITE product so far, and I would highly recommend it. 

Having experimented with several makeup products, could you walk me through your make up routine?

I start by using a Soap Brow and Spoolie to set my brows (I use a disposable one that i’ve been reusing and washing).

I then use IT Cosmetics CC Cream Illumination for full coverage on my skin (it also has SPF). After, I use Too Faced Born This Way Concealer for a natural finish.

For my brows I use the Morphe Brow Cream, it’s so inexpensive and makes my brows look fuller.

For Bronzer, I use Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Sunkissed. The bronzer is super affordable and goes on so beautifully. After I use Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush in mellow wine and Wet n Wild Highlight in golden flower crown.

After the final step, I use the Morphe Continuous Setting Spray, which is light and refreshing and holds my makeup all day.

For mascara, I use the L’oreal Telescopic Waterproof Mascara.

What is your go-to lipstick?

I would go with something nude like Sephora’s Lipstories Lipstick in 06-tan lines. Or, just the Laneige Lip Glowy Balm in berry more often.

If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive? Who would it be and why?

I would choose one of my ancestors that I have never met. Because I want to know more about my roots, stories about life experiences back then they were alive. That would give me so much insight into not only my culture but also myself. It would be cool to know about the similarities and differences between us.

What’s next for ‘Gikan’?

I have this vision of showcasing other Filipino designers’ work in Gikan. Not only the Gikan house brand. More like a one-stop-shop for various Filipino makers, artists, and designers.

I am hopeful that I get my own space in the future. For now, we are just going to remain as an e-commerce site and create things that I am passionate about creating. I am excited to see what’s next for us. 

Thank you so much, Angelli. We can’t wait to see what’s next for Gikan.

P.S.

A simple trick to happiness.

(Photos of Angelli from her Instagram, photos of Angelli with bags by Katherine Kingston.)

xx

Yachna