TOP Filipino shoe designer Jojo Bragais has admitted that he almost committed suicide due to depression few years ago.
“It’s about love…love-related,” said Bragais who remembered the past with a smile, during an exclusive interview in Umingan, Pangasinan where he was one of the judges for the Miss Umingan 2018 beauty pageant.
But it’s all behind him now as he looks at the brighter side of life. “No to love life muna. Naniniwala ako na career and love life cannot really go together. Mas stressful ang love life kesa sa business.”
Given the chance, Bragais said he wanted to become an inspiration to young people who are also battling depression.
“I wanna have that chance to speak in front of people and help them battle depression. It’s not the end of everything if you are depressed. There’s still so much hope,” said Bragais.
Come April 28, Bragais will be turning 26. He did a throwback on how his shoe business started.
“I’m actually a midwife and nurse by profession. There was this one event sa buhay ko na I was so down and so depressed. That was four years ago. I was still in college. I almost committed suicide. That’s the sad reality;
“My mom Elsie hindi na raw niya alam ang gagawin niya. While in Binangonan, Rizal, I toured the place until I saw a shoe factory. Pagpasok namin sa gate, maliit lang sya. Parang small room lang sya.
“Sabi ng owners, matanda na kami….gusto mong bilin? Ganun lang nagsimula. Gusto ko lang maging busy. Sige bibilin ko sya. Isang makina na pantahi then puro hulma na. Unang client ko is Natasha. That time I only had two workers (now 168). I wasn’t able to beat the deadline in making the shoes so lalo akong na-depressed.”
Yet he did not give up and went on with his business. “Wala akong pang-ikot so pumasok ako sa financing.”
In 2014, his friend Yvette Marie Santiago joined Bb. Pilipinas pageant and won Bb. Pilipinas Supranational title. “That time, I told her wala akong pera to support her financially pero I can support all the shoes she needs. Then Bb Pilipinas chair Stella Marquez Araneta saw Yvette’s shoes and pinatawag nya ako.”
Araneta then asked Bragais: “How do you like the idea of being the shoe provider for Bb Pilipinas pageant? So I started to be part of Bb Pilipinas in 2015 until now.”
Bragais described his shoes as comfort shoes. “I don’t wanna follow trends. I’m more on comfort shoes na pwedeng ilakad ng kahit sa sampung oras. Parang pwede mo ring itakbo. ‘Yung ibang shoes, sobrang sexy tapos masakit sya sa paa.”
The Bicolano heel maker is overwhelmed by the success of his shoe business. “May mga taga-Colombia na nagpapagawa sa akin. I’ll be doing shoes for a pageant in Taiwan. I did one sa Hong Kong, sa India. I might be doing shoes for Miss Universe Canada.”
Bragais is not only focused on pageant shoes. He has also done men’s line and will launch his own make-up products few months from now.
Everything is truly coming up roses for Bragais. Apart from the men’s line and make-up, the young designer is excited about his other projects. “Hindi ko muna pwede sabihin pero I will reveal them few months from now.” (Robert R. Requintina)