Creativity runs in the family
For siblings Hannah and Josh Barrera, creativity runs in the family. Growing up in a home filled with art, design, and constant creative energy, they were immersed in a world where self-expression was encouraged. Now, as young professionals, they are stepping into the creative world on their terms—Hannah in fashion design, Josh in visual arts.
Both graduated magna cum laude from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, continuing a family tradition of design and craftsmanship. Their great-grandfather, National Artist for Architecture Pablo Antonio, was a pioneer in Art Deco and Modernism. Their great-grandmother, Marina Antonio, was known in the 1930s for her elegant wedding gowns, while their grandmother, Malu Veloso, built a career designing children’s clothing and Filipiniana attire. Their uncles, Ramon and Chito Antonio, established themselves in interior design, and their mother, Vicky Antonio Barrera, is a writer, chef, and archivist, preserving the family’s creative history.
Hannah says today’s consumers are more intentional, prioritizing sustainability and second-hand fashion over fast retail. For her, people seek the stories behind what they wear, choosing pieces that align with their values rather than fleeting trends.
The movement toward conscious fashion has shaped Hannah’s perspective. “I don’t want to be rushed,” she says. “I want to create quality pieces at my own pace.” She rejects the speed of fast fashion in favor of craftsmanship and intentionality.
A Van Gogh star, envisioned in denim, was put behind the hands of Michaelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” to show my sudden sense of hope.”
“For me, beauty comes from madness,” she adds. “I am a very emotional designer. I’m not fueled by joy, but by sadness, jealousy, and rage.” These emotions both drive and temper her creative process, reflected in designs that communicate feelings words cannot fully capture.
Hannah’s path into fashion began with a chance encounter—a poster for “Sinulid,” the annual fashion show for De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s graduating fashion students. It sparked her interest, leading her to embrace a career in design.
“My family exposed me to art at a young age. Whenever we traveled, art museums were always part of the itinerary,” she says. “I grew to appreciate how art reflects the state of a nation.”
Her meticulous approach to fashion stems from her family’s influence—her grandmother’s intricate beadwork and her father’s DIY ethos, watching him create and assemble dioramas from scratch.
“Since pursuing fashion, I’ve seen the meticulous work that goes into creating couture,” she says. “Despite debates between the art and fashion industries, I believe haute couture deserves recognition as fine art.”
Through her brand, she aims to dissolve the boundaries between the two, weaving together couture techniques with artistic references. Her graduation collection, love, h, embodies this mission, using Philippine silks to highlight the beauty of indigenous textiles. “While my brand is still young, I want to spend my lifetime honing my craft, leading couture toward the realm of fine art.”
Josh sees a world where trends move at an unprecedented speed, with ideas constantly emerging and fading. In response, he says, many young people are stepping back, focusing on mental well-being, and embracing a slower, more intentional way of living. Social media has shifted from entertainment to influence, shaping career choices, behaviors, and identity. Many carefully construct their online personas, following trends or setting their own. But for Filipinos, he believes, this is about more than self-expression—it is about rediscovering and redefining national identity in a modern, digital world.
Josh is fascinated by how digital culture shapes contemporary aesthetics. He studies Internet subgenres—“core” aesthetics like vaporwave, urbancore, and flowercore—where curated visuals and saturated edits define artistic movements. “There are countless Instagram pages dedicated to these themes,” he says. “They’ve influenced the way I think about color and composition.” His work reflects this digital immersion, blending online influences with his artistic vision.
Beyond digital culture, Josh’s practice is rooted in mythology and folklore. He is drawn to the way myths—both local and global—are continuously retold and reinterpreted across different media, from video games to film and visual art. “What intrigues me is how these figures of belief evolve over time,” he says. “They are given completely new stories and meanings, often far removed from their original versions.” His work continues this tradition, bridging past and present, transforming familiar narratives into something unexpected.
For Josh, breaking away from a family of architects, fashion designers, and interior designers allowed him to forge his own path in visual arts — though their meticulous attention to detail still influences his work. “I’m not a spontaneous artist; my ideas are calculated, and I like to be precise from the start,” he explains. His style reflects this, merging pointillism with intricate ornamentation and patterns, requiring careful precision in every stroke and dot.
With a deep interest in history, folklore, and modern mythology, Josh sees his work as a form of world-building, celebrating overlooked cultural narratives. “I want to embrace and retell these ‘fragments of peoples and cultures,’ imagining where these stories might go in the future.”
Raised in a family of creatives, both siblings were taught to be bold in their pursuits. “Every creative in my family has been fearless in growing their craft and seeking opportunities to bring their vision to life,” Josh says. “That attitude has shaped how I navigate the creative industry—I just go for it.”
While there is pressure to honor their family’s artistic legacy, neither Hannah nor Josh feel confined by it. “I don’t create in their shadow,” Josh says. “I paint in their light.”
In a rapidly changing creative landscape, the Barrera siblings are not merely preserving tradition; they are evolving it. With a keen sense of storytelling and a sensibility shaped by the digital age, they are redefining what it means to be artists today. Their work carries echoes of the past, but their vision is entirely their own.
