AUGUST 17, 2025
We live in the golden age of e-commerce. Shopping has never been easier. Just click, pay, wait. Done. But some things in life? You can’t just add them to cart. Laughter shared over tea. Friendships built face-to-face. The warm hugs of a TP sister you haven’t seen in months. That’s priceless.
Somewhere along the way, we stopped having just a seller-buyer relationship. We became a community. A TP Mother who never stops finding ways to meet her TP Kitties. A diverse, vibrant, slightly chaotic, always-happy sisterhood. Maranaos, Tausugs, Maguindanaons, Filipino reverts, Foreigners, and friends from all walks of life.
Our Turkish High Tea was one of those events that we wanted everyone to come, but unfortunately — space is finite. So, only 25 slots again. Trust us, we tried to make it bigger, wider, maybe even in a hot-air balloon. But 25 it was, and boy, did those 25 spots feel very special.
The venue was provided by Harmony & Wisdom Foundation Inc. With the help of My Ottoman Home, the space was transformed into a mini Istanbul. Intricate rugs, golden accents, Turkish vibes everywhere. You half expected someone to break into a belly dance or pull out an oud. Haha. Just saying. And yes, there were plenty of “Ang bongga naman ng setup!” comments. Thanks to My Ottoman Home!
Of course, we had to match the aesthetic with the food. Lola Teya's served pastries in generous amounts. Sooo generous that they lasted the whole afternoon. BLKT Baked brought back their iconic choco love-a crinkles. And the Turkish tea? Served perfectly. Because what’s a High Tea without a tea?
The event started with a long but fun GTKY session. And what a guest list we had. Truly, kilig levels: 100. We were joined by incredible women like Princess Habibah Sarip-Ali, the first Hijabi Filipina news anchor; Queenie Padilla, former actress turned inspiring Muslim & Peace advocate; Lara Gumpal of Gentry Timepieces, a luxury watch dealer in the Philippines, Zahra, CEO of CUBO Modular, a trailblazer in sustainable housing solutions, and Queenie of KusinerangMaranaoPh. Add in entrepreneurs, Muslim professionals, and our long-time TP Kitties who make this sisterhood what it is today.
The highlight of the afternoon was the Hijab Styling Demo by Zia and Shasmeen. Our sweet Z gave everyone a fresh take on square hijabs (na parang easy lang pero pag-try mo, bakit iba ang resulta? haha!). Meanwhile, Shasmeen — our young stylist from Fountain International School — worked her magic and wowed everyone with her modern take on shawls.
Each attendee received a curated PR box, beautifully wrapped. Inside: a TudungPeople hijab, hijab pins, a hair clip, discount vouchers, and of course, instant happiness.
After the private tea, we opened our doors for a public pop-up, so TP Kitties who weren't able to RSVP could still join the fun. Guests got first access to our newest collections — Pua, Ikatan Lite, Flavours, and new stocks of Parka, Trackpants, Balloon Skirt, Swimwear and Linen Collections. And of course, we debuted our Flavours Hijab Collection, created in collaboration with Julie’s Malaysia (yes, the biscuit brand — hijab meets cookies, who would’ve thought?).
Souk & Style joined us to display their gorgeous Turkish-inspired pieces, while BLKT Baked showcased their treats, completing the mini-bazaar vibes.
By the end of the afternoon, the tea was gone, hijabs were imperfectly pinned, and display racks were in chaos. But.. our hearts were full.
It wasn’t just a tea party. It was a reminder that modesty and community never go out of style. In a world where we shop with a click and talk through DMs, we went old-school. We showed up. In person.
Because TudungPeople has never just been about hijabs.
It’s about sisterhood.
Making Tudung by the People, for the People.
