Betina ocampo jumps to fast fashion with daily schedule NY

In the age of the bootleg, logomania’s return and peak, as well as the fast fashion bubble’s imminent burst, wouldn’t you agree that what makes a piece desirable to you has changed? I’ve found that it now lies on its originality and uniqueness, as opposed to its exclusivity and even its materiality.

The success of Daily Schedule NY as it broke into the Manila style scene over the Yuletide holidays last year illustrates this. Their velvet pointy-toe mules, embroidered with elaborate patches from a quirky alien eye to bohemian birds of paradise and palm trees sold out like hotcakes and quickly became the louche choice of Manila’s stylish set. Decadent velvet to brunch was no longer deemed overdressed and the ease of flats to cocktails can be enjoyed without seeming dowdy.

Siblings Betina, Selina and Juliana Ocampo debuted the footwear brand in New York Fashion Week in 2015. Previously only available at lifestyle stores and pop-ups, their spring/summer release on e-tailer Zalora is a result of them taking their time. “We kept it very quiet. We usually do things very fast but I wanted to be careful. It’s a market I’ve never entered in my life. We’re so used to doing high-end luxury and now we’re doing something affordable,” says Betina, who you might recognize for her namesake contemporary womenswear line, its signature line of handmade t-shirts and its international success.

Ocampo’s parents are maverick entrepreneur Ricco and model and high-end accessories designer Celestina who since the ‘90s have made an impact in local fashion retail with concepts like corporate wear brand The Black Shop and one of the country’s first affordable eyewear brands i2i New York. The ‘90s kids are sure to have frequented their Sari-Sari Store to refresh their unconventional wardrobes.

To use the fashion codes of high-end brands without the exorbitant price tag, to be on-trend without being a copycat, to be accessible without the risk of a who-wore-it-better showdown – YStyle caught up with Betina on Daily Schedule’s game plan.

YSTYLE: Going way back, why shoes?

BETINA OCAMPO: Shoes are the first accessory that people gravitate toward. I’m inspired by the New York woman, they’re always on the go; they’ll have one bag but they don’t really switch it cause everything’s in there, so shoes are the main ways you can express yourself. We thought of flats because they are something you can wear from day to night

Why the jump to fast fashion?

With Betina, there’s so much thought that goes into every single piece and because of the intricacy of every piece it’s more expensive. I’ve always wanted to do something that’s accessible to my friends. I want them to be able to buy my stuff that it kind of makes me sad. Though I love what I do, this pretty much is the reason why I did something like this. This still has my aesthetics, my signature design but it’s a lot more accessible

How would you compare the creative process for Daily Schedule NY as opposed to Betina?

The creative process comes naturally for me but it has to be fast for Daily Schedule. We have to launch new silhouettes and designs on a monthly basis. It’s good practice for me. The challenge is in trying to appeal to not just one kind of woman – something I’m not used to because Betina is kind of like a one-woman show. For this one, we have to keep minimal women in mind but we think of how to make it special, how to make it us.

It’s trend-driven, it’s fast, it’s available online with next day delivery! How do you keep it exclusive?

Because we want to work with a large volume, starting it in Manila where we’re from is important because we’re able to communicate directly with people. We have a strong message. We put more thought into how we communicate with the consumer, how we wanna be perceived, and what our values are. We started out with a writer to build 12 stories for 12 different shoes about different New York women celebrating their diversity and their different passions and motivations. With a trend-driven line, the challenge is understanding what women want but how they can set themselves apart from all the umbrella brands but with the same price points. We make it more original while they just flat out copy the hottest shoe of the season. When you buy from the big brands, the design loses its sense of personality. Also we don’t try to order thousands of pairs, which is why we sell out fast.

Daily Schedule’s latest collection – tell us more about it.

We love doing lots of contrasts, using feminine fabrics like satin in a slide. This is a very feminine shape, not like the Birkenstock look that’s on the chunky side but we want to put something that’s a bit sporty so it’s not too feminine. We played with different silhouettes and patterns and embellishments to make it look less predictable and more original – that’s always been my style. I don’t want something you’ve seen before.

[She picks up the Culver satin slides, made with 100% satin fabric and a rubber sole] These are my favorites. When you look at other shoe lines, you’ve seen that design many times over. I think this is one of the most unique designs in the collection. The enamel pins are detachable. We’re playing with the idea that you can customize your slides yourself. If you like this design, it’s so affordable, you can play it up and switch it up.

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Follow Daily Schedule NY on Instagram @dailyschedulenyph or email them at hello@dailyschedule-ny.com for inquiries. Visit dailyschedule-ny.com.