MANILA, Philippines ? Prepare to bask in the heat of summer sunshine armed with these juicy, fun and affordable pieces designed especially for beach-crazy individuals.

Cathy?s Bags
Bag designer Cathy de Leon?s business sprouted from a personal love for fashion ? bags in particular.

?Back in college I could not find any bags that were reasonably priced, functional, yet had an element of fun to them,? she says. ?I then began toying with the idea of creating my own bag. One thing led to another and I?ve been designing and selling bags since.?

It has been eight years since the birth of her booming bag enterprise, Cathy?s Bags.

De Leon designs bags for chic and fashion-conscious women. ?My bags are for women who appreciate the uniqueness in design. [These are] women who love to experiment and have fun with fashion.?

Her summer and beach bags are all designed to go in tandem with a favorite bikini or cover-up. Customers can choose from the fuchsia and apple green Maddie halter bag, the Anouk safari bamboo clutch and the Yara wooden bead frame clutch, among many others.

?I love integrating different elements and textures and playing around with color when designing a bag,? says De Leon. ?I?m fond of combining unexpected materials and textures in a single design. I use a variety of materials from snakeskin, suede to rattan, mother-of-pearl, bamboo and wood.?

Not only are her bags unique and reasonably priced, the materials she uses are also part and parcel of Filipino culture.

?I want consumers to become aware of the variety of beautiful materials that are abundant in the Philippines,? she says. ?And [for them to] consequently patronize locally manufactured products.?

De Leon?s bags sell for P850-P2000, depending on the material and design. Grab the current best seller, the Amber beach bag (with beach kit), which comes in various juicy colors. Visit cathysbags.com

Brown Belly

The brainchild of self-proclaimed water babies Kage Gozun and Noelle Hilario, Brown Belly ? a beach and loungewear apparel store ? was created to suit the needs of individuals who love the beach.

The proprietors describe their clothes as ?beach-inspired chic gear.?

?We wanted to make clothes that [one] can wear in the city and on the beach,? Hilario says. ?Kage and I live in the city but we also love going to the beach every weekend, so we needed clothes that suit our lifestyle. Our clients share that same need.?

Brown Belly?s boho-inspired pants make for easy movement, as they are loose, wide-legged and made from lightweight material.
These pants come in various colors and styles ? indo, Thai fisherman, cropped indo and sash. They sell for P650-P850 depending on the style.

Colorful halter and maxi dresses sell for P650-P1100 a piece, while bikini cover-ups are priced at P500-P900. Skirts and tube and halter tops are also available.

?Our clothes are simple yet versatile,? says Hilario. ?[One] can wear them from day to night.?

Brown Belly pieces can be purchased from the 540 Surf shop on Katipunan Avenue, at the San Juan Surf Shop in San Juan, La Union and at brownbelly.multiply.com.