MANILA, Philippines ? Wanting to shop late one Sunday night, I logged on to Code-Limited.com, a relatively new shopping website. I browsed through the site, which showcases the creations of up-and-coming young Filipino designers who have yet to hit the mainstream.

There are many interesting pieces?from splattered blazers and tulip skirts to tiered dresses and bikinis. There are accessories too?pretty bags and colorful headpieces.

After minutes of going through the site, I zoomed in on my choice?the Crisselda Jersey Dress by Dollface, which was available in red and back. I clicked on the black one, added it to my cart and checked out.

Immediately after, I received an e-mail from Code-Limited.com, giving me details about my order. During the next few days, I continued to get e-mailed updates about my order. On Thursday, my dress arrived and it looked just as it did on the site?classic, feminine and a little sexy.

Young designers

This is what Stephanie Lo, Charlene Falcis, Cheena Ng-Lio want to do?bring the creations of local young designers to your doorstep.

The three met through the School of Fashion and the Arts (SOFA) where they all took short-term degrees. Stephanie was a Behavioral Science and Marketing graduate from De La Salle University, Charlene graduated from the University of the Philippines? Industrial Engineering program and now has a food business, and Cheena graduated from St. Scholastica and started her own clothing label Amour.

The three learned at SOFA that a lot of local designers have a hard time getting a break in the industry because they couldn?t put up their own store. Wanting to give these designers the chance to make it both in the local and international market, they put up Code-Limited.com.

Stephanie said, ?Many young and upcoming designers join bazaars and consign their items. We thought that the Code-Limited website can provide a more permanent platform for them since it?s live 24/7.?

They first put up the website in March. Stephanie admits that the Philippine market for online shopping isn?t as mature as other countries yet, but they know it is growing. ?It?s getting there slowly especially with the push of those selling in Multiply. The future is online?you see most businesses adding online sites too. We plan to be one of the pioneers for this.?

Word of mouth

Brands available on the website include Amour, Avenue Montaigne, Cina, Cocomo, Dollface, Electric Cutes, Eleven, Fofa, Glitterati, Love Culture, Maisie, Marrosa, My Little Dress, Plume, Undernourished Manila and Vida.

In the beginning, their clients were mostly their friends. Their business started to spread by word of mouth.

Stephanie, Charlene, and Cheena believe there?s a huge market for Code-Limited. ?The brands we feature on the site have different target markets. The price range is very affordable?P1,500 to P4,000 for a dress. People between the ages of 16 and 30 shop at our website.?

So far, the party dresses are the big sellers.

While some of the products are also available at the SOFA Retail Lab at Rockwell Power Plant Mall?s second floor, some designs are exclusive to the website. ?You wouldn?t be able to buy it anywhere else.?

New pieces are uploaded to the website weekly.

Hassle-free

Stephanie, Charlene and Cheena love being young entrepreneurs for a very good reason. ?We like that we?re able to start a change. We want to start a different view of online buying. That Code-Limited isn?t on Multiply?this is a more formal and cohesive way of transacting.?

Payment can be made through credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, GCash and bank deposit. The website offers free delivery within Metro Manila and free delivery to other destinations in the Philippines with a minimum purchase of P3,000. And since sizes and the right fit are a concern of online shoppers, the website provides a measuring guide and also allows customers to try on the clothes for seven days to see if they fit (with the exception of the makeup and the bathing suits).

Code-Limited?s customers appreciate the ease of online shopping. ?They are glad that it?s hassle-free for them to shop,? says Stephanie.

The site doesn?t just aim to discover young fashion talents and provide people with the convenience of shopping on the Internet, they also want to help sustain the livelihood of local seamstresses.

The three still have a lot of plans for their site. ?We want to establish partnerships with fashion schools, organizations and companies that have the same goals as we have. We want to act as the online consolidator of all efforts to advance the local industry,? Charlene said.

She added, ?Code-Limited will ultimately and eventually be the one-stop shop for everything to buy and to know about Filipino brands and designers. We aim to list most if not all of the local industry movers in our Fashion Directory and to upload over a hundred new items in our Online Mall every month. Expect us to reach you in your schools, offices and frequently visited establishments through the fashion shows and private sales we plan to hold.?

They also intend to go beyond clothes. ?We?ll have more products on the site?like right now, we have mineral makeup by Bare Beauty,? said Stephanie.

Stephanie, Charlene, and Cheena will continue to be hard at work on Code-Limited.com, driven by their inspiration?the young designers. ?The designers, the young talents, they inspire us, their creativity inspires us.?

Visit www.code-limited.com.