Upcycled and AAPI Fashion Converge with Acuña’s Orchid Motif

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, Heidi Grace Acuña presented their debut fashion show with Living Waling Waling, held early May 2025. Acuña partnered with Seattle Center and was selected to represent and uplift  emerging and established local AAPI artists.

Acuña is a multidisciplinary artist who has appeared on TV, galleries across the West Coast, and was a finalist at Fruit Bowl. Born in Washington and raised in Hawai’i, Acuña moved from sculpture to fashion and brought a colorful bouquet of upcycled and sustainable clothing through their designs. 

The Waling-Waling orchid, an intimate symbol to Acuña, appears through her previous works in sculpture and painting. Acuña chose the orchid for its strong matriarchal symbolism in both Filipino and Hawaiian cultures, reflecting the influence of the powerful women in their life—many of whom were present at the show.

Living Waling Waling showcased a 12-piece collection across street and formal wear. The preview was not far from the final product, but the finished details made all the difference—the final stitchings, the flowing of fabric on the models, and the movement from dance.

The show featured upcycled fashion. The fabrics were thrifted from second-hand stores and closets in Hawai’i, Washington, the Philippines. They turned boxing shorts into a top, a sheer scarf into ruffle trimming, scraps into patchwork, and more. 

Dancers opening Living Waling Waling in Acuña's designs.

The Evergreen Echo

Four dancers opened the show with contemporary choreography to Filipino and Hawaiian tunes represented in some of Acuña’s designs. The performance included group and solo performances to emphasize each outfit.

Models flaunted the flowy drapings of each outfit and moved with ease through the dances. One dancer was dressed in open-knee white pants with a soft purple satin top and an upcycled scarf sourced from the Philippines. The top’s center opening resembled the orchid and reflected the palette of purples in Acuña’s finale piece.

In the main show, models walked out from the sides of the stage and met with a model partner at center stage. Unlike a traditional fashion show, these models had a considerable amount of time during their walk. They sauntered not across but around the stage. 

The final dresses contrasted next to each other as the models walked. One dressed styled purple, and the other white. These dresses were more form-fitting with bodices and hip-accentuating accents. One used palm fibers as the bottom half of the outfit, and the stiff, raw texture of the fiber helped create a natural shape to the dress that was not as present in other outfits throughout the show. 

Across the makeup artists, videographers, photographers, and models, Living Waling Waling had over 20 QTPOC talents in the entirety of the production. The range of models demonstrated the dedication to dress across the body spectrum and to empower everyone to find their style. Acuña hired her cast and crew from their artist network, from personally asking models to finding photographers and videographers from past projects. 

Models display the finale dresses

The Evergreen Echo

I had the chance to ask Acuña a couple of questions:

Michael: How did you find your voice/creative process?

Heidi: “I found my voice by creating whatever I wanted. As I say, “I create to live”. Once I have an idea that keeps me awake, I tend to it and think big with it. Even with a random thought I get curious that I research to find the connections as to why I am so curious. I think experimenting [with] making work in different mediums allowed me to focus on my message and story. For me, finding my creative voice was about being ready to listen to it.”       

Michael: What advice do you have for artists starting to build their portfolio? 

Heidi: My advice would be to try out different mediums. Sometimes the material informs [the] content. Also, it’s good fun to remember to play and experiment. I also advise artists to follow those thoughts and ideas that set your heart on fire no matter what anyone else says. Because you have the vision, you will find a way.

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The event was a refresher of what fashion can do. Acuña demonstrated not only their fashion design talents, but also their collaboration and dedication to uplift underrepresented groups and break down barriers to access the arts—as artists or appreciators.