Art You Can Live With, Wear, and Carry Forward

Happy Andrada turns Juvenal Sansó’s visual world into wearable art with a purpose.

Words Coleen Wong
Photos courtesy of Fundacion Sansó
June 09, 2026

Fundacion Sansó has long found creative ways to bring the master artist Juvenal Sansó’s art into everyday life—from home objects, lamps, candles, and coasters, to shirts, jackets, and other merchandise you can think of.

However, the Sansó x Happy Andrada: “Art Inspires Fashion” enters a different space. This capsule collection is not simply about placing Sansó’s art on clothing. It is a designer-led interpretation of his visual world, where his colors, moods, and motifs are reimagined through silhouette, textile, movement, and handwork.

Presented by Fundacion Sansó in partnership with Discovery Primea, the collection brings together Sansó’s celebrated imagery and Happy Andrada’s eye for textile, form, and craft. 

Inspired by his Black Bouquets, florals, abstracts, and Moderno Series, the collaboration becomes more than a meeting of art and fashion. Known for her sculptural approach to fashion, Philippine textiles, and artisanal techniques, the Ani ng Dangal awardee turns Sansó’s works into pieces that feel considered, textured, and alive.

For Andrada, the process starts with emotion.

What started from works that personally resonated with her eventually grew into a 30-piece capsule collection, each one shaped by the feeling, texture, and movement she found in Sansó’s art.

Designer Happy Andrada

Rather than approaching the project as a direct transfer of paintings into garments, she explored how the mood of each piece could be expressed through silhouette, material, and handwork.

“My process was very intuitive; I chose the works that resonated with me on an emotional level,” Andrada shared during the exclusive interview with the Art Plus Magazine.

“I was drawn to pieces I could translate into fabric through texture, movement, and detail. From there, I explored how those emotions could take shape in silhouettes and materials, allowing the garments to reflect the same mood and depth as the paintings.”

The collection also draws from indigenous Philippine materials, handwoven textiles, and upcycled accents, grounding the pieces in local craft. More than the decorative detail, the handwork gives the garments another layer of meaning, connecting Sansó’s visual legacy with the work of Filipino weaving and artisan communities.

Among the highlights are one-of-a-kind barong bibs designed as a gender-neutral pieces with a universal fit. In Andrada’s hands, the barong becomes sculptural and expressive, opening a familiar form to new ways of being worn.

The collaboration also feels timely. In a time where fashion, art, and lifestyle are becoming more intertwined, Sansó x Happy Andrada shows how heritage can move without losing its meaning. 

It does not treat Sansó’s art as something that should stay in the past, but as something that can continue to be translated for a new generation, through clothing, craft, and the people who choose to wear it.

This is also why the partnership with Discovery Primea feels fitting. The presentation became more than a runway show; it was a celebration of Filipino artistry across different forms, bringing together fashion, music, design, hospitality, and visual art in one space.

The collection also traces a least-known connection between Sansó and fashion.

Before becoming widely recognized for his Brittany landscapes and floral paintings, Sansó worked with textile design as a young student in Paris, creating designs for European fashion houses including Bianchini-Ferrier and Synergie. 

His breakthrough came after selling a portfolio of designs to the House of Balenciaga, which helped him pursue painting more fully. Seen through this history, the collaboration feels less like a departure and more like a return.

Under the leadership of Fundacion Sansó director Ricky Francisco and assistant director Tenie Santos, the foundation continues to keep Juvenal Sansó’s legacy active, generous, and connected to the artists who come after him.

More than preserving his work, the foundation carries forward the kindness and compassion that shaped his life by creating opportunities for young creatives to continue their own.

Beyond the runway, the collection also gives back in a way that feels true to Fundacion Sansó’s work.

A percentage from the sale of each piece will proceed to the foundation’s scholarship fund, helping to support art students from Bulacan State University, Far Eastern University, and the University of the Philippines – College of Fine Arts. 

Andrada even donated 50% of the proceeds from the sale of her pieces. At that moment, buying a garment meant more than owning a piece inspired by Sansó. It also meant helping another young artist stay in school, keep creating, and continue finding their own place in the art scene.

With this meaningful collaboration, art is not only remembered. It is moved, worn, and allowed to continue. 

Through fabric, craft, and purpose, Sansó’s legacy finds another way forward, one that can be lived with, carried, and passed on.