New Creation Manufacturing Inc. president Hiro Asandas, jeweler Janina Dizon-Hoschka, and RGOC EVP Anton Huang.

The past decades have shown substantial progress and radical changes in the Philippine retail industry brought about by drastic population growth, overall economic progression gearing towards globalization, and the ever-changing consumer profile and lifestyle.

Although the figures on the finance books, the proliferation of retail businesses, the substantial investment on infrastructure, and the modernization of the operations show that it is progressive, doing business in this diverse world and serving a quite distinct market is not as easy as A-B-C, especially if one is contending in the international retail arena.

Nobody knows this better than the top players in the retail industry: soft furnishings king Hiro Asandas, retail top honcho Anton Huang, and jewelry designer Janina Dizon-Hoschka. In partnership with the Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), the mavens share their success stories.

Fully furnished

In 1954, Hiro Asandas got on a boat and sailed away from his homeland into the horizon to seek his fortune. When the boat docked in Manila, Asandas did every menial job he could to survive.

Through these menial jobs, he learned that to make his way to the top, he had to try his hand at business. But how do you start business without money? Aside from curtailing his expenses to save some money, he went to the wholesale store to get some stocks and sell it to the retail sector. Soon, he became interested in garments and started selling bed sheets in 1959.

“At that time, if one wanted a bed sheet, he had to go to the market, buy imported retaso by the kilo, and then let his mananahi sew them together. But when they washed them, the retaso would get untangled and they would see their money go down the drain. That was what led me to make bed sheets. [I named it] Canadian because in those days people wanted foreign-sounding brands,” shared Asandas.

Soon, his empire built on fabric remnants which he used to create bed sheets, comforters, pillowcases, and towels for the domestic market became a household name because of its innovative and integrated approach in designs development.

After a decade, the company ventured into infants and children’s wear for both  the local and export markets. By 1979, the company has been exporting to Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. They have acquired licenses for Disney and Snoopy infants wear and accessories as well as a linen line for Disney’s Mickey, Classic Pooh, Barbie, Looney Tunes, Snoopy, WWE, Hotwheels, and NBA.

“With globalization, we are not competing with foreign brands. We are now competing with the local brands. We need to improve quality control. We now invest in labor and research to improve design, quality, and methodology,” shares Asandas who believes that entrepreneurs are born, not made.

He continued: “You have to do it through practical course. Work with somebody, learn the ropes, go to college, and take it from there. If you don’t do it that way, don’t do it.

Luxury means business

Even if he was born to business-savvy grandparents — Ambassador Bienvenido and Glecy Tantoco  and parents Anthony Chen Huang and Zenaida Tantoco who all contributed to establish one of the most recognized players in the retail industry — Rustan’s Group of Companies (RGOC) — Anton Huang started his career in the retail industry at a young age of 15, working as a sales assistant for Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI).

Through the years, Huang endeavored to learn all the ropes of the business. “At the end of the day, you’ll experience challenging times. But in these challenging times when opportunities come about, one has to keep his eyes open, take advantage, and, hopefully things will be better,” advised Huang.

With his hands-on work experience and excellent educational background, the hardworking executive vice president of three network companies of RGOC now leads a team of over 900 employees that maneuvered Rustan’s to the top of luxury retailing.

With more than five decades of retailing experience, other players in the retail industry will find Rustan’s a major force to reckon with in the competitive retail world, especially now that it is expanding internationally. Rustan’s retailing company has 72 luxurious brands in 112 stores under its wings.

“There has been a shift in the economic activity, moving from the West to the East. More than 50 percent of world profits now come from the East. Big players are India and China. When they take off, it will affect the Asia players like the Philippines. Asian businesses will look at the region first before going to the West,” shares Huang. 

He added: “We’re working closely with HSBC especially with the newer and bigger brands today who don’t know the Asian market pretty well. We have been presenting brands that have no major experience with the region. It is good to have an international bank to back you up, especially when you’re building relationship.”

Crafty Commerce

Who says business and arts don’t mix? Definitely not jewelry designer Janina Dizon-Hoschka who believes that the jewelry art industry is as challenging as any other business.

The passion for jewelry was instilled in the young mind of Dizon-Hoschka which incited an intense desire for the craft. She grew up watching her family, especially her mother Jul Dizon, create unique handmade jewelry pieces.

Her grandmother, Paz Bañas, took the lead and established a jewelry store in the old quarters of Manila in the 1940s. Back then, distinct convergence of Spanish, Chinese, and Malay traditions provided inspiration for her lola’s exceptional designs, created by the local craftsmen who remained faithful to the century-old traditions of jewelry-making.

Later, Dizon-Hoschka trained as a jewelry designer, apprenticed with a leading Israeli diamond distributor, and graduated at the prestigious Gemological Institute of America. She then joined the family business in 1991, and opened “Janina” at the Peninsula Hotel Manila in 2007. She even became a three-time finalist in the renowned De Beers Diamond International Awards.

Her designs cross boundaries, literally and figuratively. She mixes traditions from East and West and traverses geographic borders such as Japan, India, France, and Italy.

Based on her website, her new collection is quite diverse but revolves around one theme: The symbol of luck in different cultures and traditions. She builds on these symbols and interprets them in a modern context using non-traditional materials.

“Believe in your products. Go to as much trade fairs as you could. Create your stable network of distributors and suppliers. Although the consumers are becoming price-sensitive, they still want to feel beautiful without putting a dent on their banks. That’s my niche,” said Dizon-Hoschka.