About

A JOURNEY OF UNCOVERING
HER PASSION AND PURPOSE

“The business idea stemmed from our strong desire to help our women weavers and their families to augment their income through sustainable livelihood and, at the same time, showcase Filipino craftsmanship, heritage and culture internationally.”
Rhona Doria
Founder, Owner

Change is the only constant thing in our lives – a change in perspective, aspirations, or plans. It may be something we are in dire need of or something that we fear, but either way, accept it or not, change will always be present in our lives.



The same is true for Rhona Doria, a former retail operation executive from the Philippines, who welcomed change by deciding to move to Canada with her family in 2016. Since then, amidst starting fresh in a foreign land, unlearning and relearning, she put up Hablon Styles & Hues, a retail start-up of handwoven products from Iloilo, Philippines.

Home has always been the Philippines and moving across the Pacific meant that Rhona had to leave many things behind but indeed not her knowledge and experiences. For over twenty years, she worked in operations for International Toyworld Inc., managing Toy Kingdom, a massive toy store chain in the Philippines. Starting as a store manager, she rose to become the Vice President for Operations until her move to Canada.

Currently, she works for the Surrey Board of Trade as an Events and Sponsorship Coordinator. Being in the company of business professionals must have infected her with the entrepreneurship bug that, five years into migrating, she started Hablon Styles & Hues (HS&H). Hablon Styles & Hues is the distribution company in Surrey, Canada providing handwoven home and fashion items from Iloilo made by its mother company Hablon de Iloilo.

The Hablon Styles & Hues dream started in 2016 but did not materialize as Rhona was still settling in Canada. In October 2020, her university roommates and friends called and asked if she wanted to partner up for the business. Maybe the timing was right; she was up for the challenge even if she had concerns about the distance as her three friends reside in the Philippines. With perseverance and a friendship that goes way back, they could turn their dreams into a reality.

Rhona sees this business to help the Filipino Community in Canada remain in touch with their roots, whether Filipino immigrants or Filipino Canadians born in Canada. Expanding the venture to Canada also helped the community of weavers of Hablon amid the global pandemic, offering job opportunities as the products are now available in the West. Rhona couldn’t have said it better, “It was high time for us to help people and the community. So that is how it all started. “

Rhona’s true passion and purpose are evident in her words and actions. By sharing a piece of her hometown, she can serve communities in the Philippines and Canada. Her story shows that welcoming change, having determination, and the heart to help could go a long way.

This is just the beginning of getting to know the stories that make up Hablon Styles & Hues. We are so excited to be here finally.