By Wendy Pramik
Posted On: Mar 14, 2023
As she relaxes on a bale of hay on a Springfield, Ohio, alpaca farm, Celeste Malvar-Stewart speaks kindly of the animals that provide the raw material for her handmade garments.
She refers to each of her friends by name. Lacrina, Libby, and RaeRae are munching on the hay, hanging out with us on this warm, February afternoon. The sun is shining, and the lazy quiet is disturbed only by the alpacas' gusty sneezing.
"I always thank the animals for their fiber," says Malvar-Stewart, flashing her characteristic smile.
Celeste Malvar-Stewart pets RaeRae, a suri alpaca at Bluebird Hills Farms
Malvar-Stewart is a Columbus-based fashion designer who works alpaca fibers into graceful gowns that have garnered attention in the fashion industry. She makes couture dresses, skirts, scarves and vests under her label MALVAR = STEWART at her Hangar 391 Studio in Columbus' German Village neighborhood. She's also working on new pieces that will be ready-to-wear and can be purchased at her studio or online.
Celeste Malvar-Stewart works on a couture dress at her Hangar 391 in German Village
Everything Malvar-Stewart works with is biodegradable. At her studio, she produces products using salvaged fabrics, local wools, and natural dyes that break the fashion industry mold of seasonal palettes and designs.
Using a process called nuno felting, she bonds alpaca wool with silk gauze to create an airy, lightweight fabric. Her atypical apparel designs are focused on preserving the environment while embracing high fashion.
Pulling strand of RaeRae's wool in a dress created for a show at Columbus College of Art & Design
"We just did a shoot a couple of weeks ago, and we found out we're in Vogue," Malvar-Stewart says, petting and referring to an alpaca named Fendi. "I think we're developing a strong identity as a fashion hub in Columbus. It's exciting."
In 2022, Malvar-Stewart was the subject of a documentary called Every Fiber, produced by a Cleveland-based videographer. It illustrates her belief in sustainable fabrics. She works with a handful of Ohio fiber farmers from Springfield, Mansfield, and Medina to produce ethical garments. Her goal by working with Ohio family farms is to obtain luxury fibers from content animals and thereby create zero-waste pieces with minimal carbon footprint.
Alpaca at Bluebird Hills Farms in Springfield
"It's unrealistic to think that we shouldn't make any more clothing, but it's important to practice mindfulness and kindness inside an industry that can be harmful," she says. "I really believe that we're all connected. When we work toward mindful design, not only is it not harming, but it may also even regenerate our souls.
"I think the fast-fashion industry has put us in a place where we're really displacing people economically and socially. I get to use the fiber to create my pieces in my happy place. Then I get to transfer it onto whomever is interested in wearing my work. I think that wholesome attitude and approach in fashion can only make it better."
As she explains her design philosophy, Celeste pauses to gaze upon Fendi.
Fendi and Celeste Malvar-Stewart exchange glances at Bluebird Hills Farms in Springfield
"I love Fendi. She's so sweet, and her fiber is fun to work with. It's dark. It makes a beautiful contrast of the creams of RaeRae and Libby. It's fun to put their fiber together and have their contrasting tones. Alpacas have the most natural colors for mammals whose fibers we use."
The alpaca friends are at Springfield's Bluebird Hills Farms, owned by Laurel Shouvlin. She breeds the alpacas, a combination of suris and huacayas, for their fibers. They're sheared twice a year, and the fleece has different levels of fineness, depending on where on the body it comes from.
There are 20 alpacas at the farm, including RaeRae, her favorite.
"RaeRae is the love of my life," Malvar-Stewart says. "She's a little bit older. I use her fiber on elevated luxury pieces. I use all these kids' fibers because Laurel is so generous with their fibers."
Celeste Malvar-Stewart and RaeRae
Malvar-Stewart's journey to Columbus began in her native Philippines. Her family moved to San Francisco when she was 3. Her mother was an artist, so she decided to try her hand at fashion.
"Different cultures and languages and aesthetics influenced me as a designer," she says.
She eventually moved to London, where she earned an undergraduate degree in fashion. She and her husband, William Stewart, a statistical geneticist and recreational pilot, later moved to New York, where Stewart was a faculty member at Columbia University.
Celeste Malvar-Stewart works in her German Village studio
The pair moved to Columbus in 2012, settling in German Village.
Malvar-Stewart saw the change in scenery as an opportunity. Columbus ranks high in the fashion industry because of the amount of fashion companies here, including L Brands and Victoria Secret. But independent designers, such as Celeste, are getting noticed.
"I wanted to see if I could change the way they perceive fashion," she says. "We are creating fantastic fashion here. There are mostly corporate designers here but there are a significant number of independent designers like me, and we're really putting ourselves on the map."
Pieces by Celeste Malvar-Stewart and mentee Tracy Powell on display at Columbus College of Art & Design
Malvar-Stewart keeps very busy. She teaches courses in tailoring and sustainability to upperclassmen at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD). "I'm the one with all the energy," she says. She's also a board member of the Greater Columbus Arts Council and a co-chair of Decorative Arts Center of Ohio in Lancaster, planning an annual gala with a fashion show that happens on Earth Day.
She also leads farm-to-fashion workshops through the McConnell Arts Center and a natural dye workshop through the Lancaster arts center.
Piece by Celeste Malvar-Stewart at Columbus College of Art & Design
"I think it's important to teach others, especially young designers," she says. "If no one told them, they wouldn't think of it. When they're creating something out of nylon, for instance, I ask, 'Do you know that that piece of nylon will never biodegrade? Do we want that in our water and our soil?' Or do we want something like Fendi's fiber, which is already sustainable because of the way they graze – and they don't harm the land?"
For more notable Ohioans and arts & culture, check out #OhioFindItHere at Ohio.org.
