‘[T]he chance to dress up the feet of actors, actresses, singers, and social media personalities is a privilege.’
There is one local footwear brand that is proud to be the choice shoes of Filipino celebrities since the 1950s.
Marikina-based shoemaker Ceferino Enriquez began Meg Shoes in 1955 to cater to the footwear needs of men, women and children. The business, which he named after his daughter, had stores in Cubao and Escolta. Ceferino’s sister-in-law, Virgie Victorino, served as office and store manager and informal marketing officer. Now in her 90s, Virgie recalls that back in the 1960s, stars such as Susan Roces, Rosemarie Sonora, Juancho Gutierrez and Charito Solis visited Meg’s to order custom-made shoes. Susan and Rosemarie, in fact, came by so often that Virgie became friends with the celebrity sisters.
“Ang madalas nilang pinapagawa ay satin pumps,” Virgie says of the female stars.
She will not forget one actor who knocked on their store window in the 1960s for a special request. “Si Dolphy… magpapagawa ng sapatos na pambabae para sa pelikula… Sabi niya, ‘Pasensiya na kayo ha. Nahihiya ako. Hindi pa ako nagsusuot ng sapatos na pambabae. Magpapagawa ako ng heels…’ Sinukat ko ang paa niya. Maliit ang paa ni Dolphy!”
When the Marikina shoe industry declined in the late 1980s, it was Ceferino’s son (and Virgie’s nephew) Joey who continued the family legacy. Joey launched Figlia Shoes in 1986. The brand name is still connected to Meg’s since Figlia is the Italian word for daughter.
To promote Figlia, Joey formed partnerships with movie and television personalities. Figlia tapped stars such as Kris Aquino and Sharon Cuneta and provided the shoes that they wore on TV shows and in their special appearances.
The partnerships with the celebs go beyond that. Joey tells Malaya Business Insight, “We collaborate on creative concepts, custom designs, and sometimes co-branded collections.”
For instance, Joey worked with the late Cherie Gil on the local production of the play, “Full Gallop.” Joey recounts, “Cherie had a specific vision for her character as Diana Vreeland, and we custom-designed shoes that captured that essence. Seeing how she embodied the character with our shoes was a proud moment.”
Other collabs are with TV programs like with the ABS-CBN teleserye “Please Be Careful With My Heart” that starred Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Yap. For the series’ highly anticipated wedding scene, the brand made a pair of fairytale-like wedding shoes for Jodi’s character Maya.
Figlia also creates shoes for live shows. Joey cites, “We designed for a dance-heavy performance, where we had to balance aesthetics with functionality, ensuring the shoes were stunning but could endure hours of movement.”
While the designs of Figlia Shoes originate from the Philippines, manufacturing has shifted to China whose factories can handle a bigger volume. Also, Figlia now has other lines such as SoFab! shoes for young women, Sorores comfort footwear, Shubizz sneakers, and Uomo casual and formal shoes for men. These are sold at retail boutiques and at SM Stores nationwide.
Figlia still adheres to the strategy of getting celebrity endorsers. But now, the promotion efforts are conducted mostly via social media. Among the celebs who champion Figlia and its brands today include Amy Perez, Nash Aguas and wife Mika dela Cruz, Rafael Rosell, Aaron Villaflor, Jarius Aquino, and beauty queen Emma Tiglao.
Marketing officer Pauline Birosel notes that the response of the market via social media is spontaneous and immediate. She says, “Aside from commenting on the stars’ social media posts and messaging the Figlia social media accounts, people go to the stores carrying the photos they saved from Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.”
One of the benefits of social media is that it has made the stars more relatable to their followers. Pauline elaborates, “For example, si Nash Aguas, tinitingnan ‘yung damit at sapatos niya. Na-e-engage niya ang followers niya. Nandoon ‘yung authenticity. People see the star actually wearing the product to work, to formal events and not just in their TV shows.”
For Joey, the chance to dress up the feet of actors, actresses, singers, and social media personalities is a privilege. He declares, “Feet are often overlooked but play a critical role in how someone carries themselves. It’s fascinating to see how unique each star is, even down to their feet! It’s a reminder that no matter how larger-than-life they seem, they’re human too.”
