In a city where everything moves fast, including fashion, there are still a number of designers who advocate for a slower kind of momentum. One of them is Yumi Christina Sakamoto, founder of EDYA 1929, a cultural luxury label rooted in heritage, and LocaManna, her more relaxed, resortwear counterpart.

Through LocaManna, a Japanese-Filipino sustainable brand with a focus on menswear and unisex garments, Yumi Sakamoto creates pieces that feel light on the body, yet mindful in their making — garments that move easily between the sea and city, structure and softness, all rooted in intention.

Where her first label, EDYA 1929, carefully reconstructs vintage kimonos into fashionably contemporary heirlooms, LocaManna leans to freedom: relaxed silhouettes, breathable textiles, and a design language shaped by movement rather than the rules.

Rooted in Japanese technique and Filipino warmth, LocaManna is a representation of both culture and calm, a part of a growing shift towards a quieter, slower, and more thoughtful idea of luxury. One that values how clothes are made just as much as how they look.

The Beat Manila sat down with Yumi Christina Sakamoto for a conversation about the ethos behind LocaManna, her attitude towards menswear and fashion, and what sustainability means to her — beyond the fabric.

LocaManna and the Idea of Freedom

After moving constantly between Japan and the Philippines in search of inspiration, Yumi found herself longing for clothing that felt light, free, and expressive — pieces she could carry with her on her travels, just like the life she was living, and something that fellow travelers could enjoy too.

This longing became the spark for LocaManna — born from her journeys across Southeast Asia and fueled by a desire for movement, escape, and spontaneity. Her Japanese-Filipino heritage also shaped the brand; growing up with two cultures taught her to embrace diversity and eventually encouraged her to create a resortwear line that celebrates the adventurous spirit of life.

The name “LocaManna” is also an expression of this dynamic energy. “Loca,” while meaning “crazy” in Spanish, represents freedom and a wild, untamed spirit. “Manna,” on the other hand, comes from the biblical term that means “blessing” and the Filipino term for “inheritance.” Together, these two words embrace life as both an adventure and a gift.

For the brand’s visual language, LocaManna draws inspiration from tropical textures like woven fabrics, sun-washed linens, and organic prints — translating this ethos through fluid silhouettes, breathable fabrics, and colors that feel bold and alive. Each material used in their designs is handmade, hand-painted, and thoughtfully sourced from local artisans, with whom Yumi loves to collaborate.

For the brand’s second collection, Yumi shared that she sourced the materials from Bali, with the designs inspired by the island’s spirit of slow living. “I love to collaborate with the locals, so I try to source fabrics that they recommend,” she shared.

Rethinking Menswear

For Yumi, focusing on menswear for her newest collection felt like a push in the right direction — a way to gently challenge the existing rules of men’s fashion.

“Menswear felt more unexpected in the way I envisioned resortwear,” she shared. “I wanted to introduce gentleness, colors, and emotion to the clothing without removing strength.” In her eyes, clothes can be shared and experimented with — a man’s shirt could be worn as a dress, and familiar pieces can take on as many lives as it pleases.

Yumi designs LocaManna’s pieces with a direct focus on proportion, intention, and silhouette. Balance, to her, is everything. “The fabric choices, the strength in cut,” she began. “When the structure and drapes come together, the pieces naturally become gender-fluid without feeling formless.”

Yumi’s approach to menswear comes at a time when the fashion scene in Manila is shifting — becoming more experimental and open to softer and fluid silhouettes. However, she still holds out hope for something more in that regard. “I hope to see more color, emotional storytelling, and craftsmanship in structure,” she explained. “Menswear doesn’t have to be always powerful.”

She also compared the fashion scene in Tokyo and Manila, in which she found fashion in Tokyo to be more limited, stricter with rules, while Manila is free, expressive, and has personality. “In the Philippines, there are no rules, that’s why I can do men’s fashion here because I can create whatever I like and people don’t judge,” she shared.

The Quiet Approach to Sustainability

More than just another fashion brand, LocaManna carries a subtly powerful commitment to sustainability. On a more personal level, Yumi Sakamoto says that sustainability is also about emotional longevity.

“I design pieces meant to be worn for years, not seasons,” she started. “It’s also about cultural respect — honoring the hands, histories, and environments behind each garment.”

Before moving to the Philippines, Yumi used to work as a fashion designer for a major brand in Japan. There, she witnessed how much clothing was produced — and just as quickly, how much of it was being thrown away. This cycle of overproduction, she noted, deeply affects the environment, and in turn, the laborers behind it.

In a sense, LocaManna moves against the current of today’s fast, ever-evolving, and disposable fashion culture. It consciously produces a limited number of products, crafted from preloved kimonos, deadstock materials, and proudly local Filipino textiles, defining itself as a brand that holds exclusivity with mindfulness in tow.

Looking ahead, Yumi Sakamoto says that LocaManna is heading towards refinement, growth, and intention. “I want to explore deeper storytelling, stronger silhouettes, and deeper collaborations with local artisans,” Yumi said. “I want to collaborate with creatives — whether that’s in fashion or not.”

LocaManna’s journey as a brand is still unfolding, and with every piece they create, Yumi hopes that it becomes a part of someone’s story too. “I hope they feel the courage to travel, to slow down, to carry a memory of freedom,” she said.

“I don’t want people to be finished with my clothes after one season. Clothing should last years, and maybe be inherited from parents to their children. I want fashion to be more valuable.”

Collection II of LocaManna is available on their website. Follow LocaManna on Facebook and Instagram.