Tribal tattoos, ethnic-inspired colors and patterns, carabao horn accessories and hand-beaded fabrics highlighted this year’s Crafts for a Cause, a fundraiser to benefit the member charity foundations and communities of SM Kultura.

Crafts for a Cause is Kultura’s advocacy program that sustains and expands livelihood programs in the urban poor and marginalized sectors from the Cordilleras in the north to Basilan in the south. Funds also go to education and community development.

This year, one-of-a-kind pieces were donated to the fundraiser by 14 of the country’s established designers in the home, fashion and accessories fields: Amina Aranaz Alunan, Joyce Oreña, Tim Tam Ong, Jun Delingon, Eric Paras, Techie Hagedorn, Tony Gonzales, Tina Lirag, Malou Romero, Adante Leyesa, Carissa Cruz-Evangelista, Emi Jorge, Natalya Lagdameo and Silnag x Enida Danao.

All proceeds from the designer pieces, as well as 10 percent of Kultura’s entire day’s sales, will be equally divided among the 16-member foundations, said Felicia Trinidad, SM Kultura consultant for marketing.

The fundraiser night also coincided with the opening of Magara, Kultura’s luxe fashion store featuring exquisitely handwoven piña tops by Crafts for a Cause’s Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation; hand-knotted necklaces with baroque pearls and other indigenous materials from Joyce Oreña’s Jo Transformer collection; new statement jewelry with semiprecious stones from Tim Tam Ong; and elegant shell clutches and minaudieres from Cebu.

“We know we are top of mind for souvenirs, but we also want to move forward and be known as a fashion store as well,” said Trinidad. “We want to highlight uniquely Filipino talent and design, and not be constrained by prices.”

Home accents

Magara will also carry home accents such as curtain tassels and lamps made with indigenous materials like shell, mother-of-pearl and ostrich eggs. Home accessories have a local touch in premium handmade abel Iloko by Balay ni Atong; and shell and decorative boxes from Eve Pek.

One of Magara’s main designers, Ong donated some of her Rain collection to the fundraiser. Highlighted is her popular carabao horn fashion accessories. The horns, she said, are from Cebu. The supplier ships the item only when available—that is, when a carabao dies—so the horn designs are rare pieces.

“They’re not shaped the same way, too, so you won’t find the same design anywhere,” said Ong. “Carabao horn is a hard material to work with. You have to fire them to make them pliable. But I want timeless, heirloom pieces that will last for generations, and carabao horn is just the kind of material that will do that.”

Jo Transformer by Joyce Oreña took inspiration from the Igorot of the Cordillera. She used red, gold and black in her designs with twines inspired by woven fabric. The Wanderlust necklace has Swarovski crystals, feathers, and metal charms.

“I come from Baguio so my inspirations are drawn from the Igorot culture,” Oreña said. “So much work is put in one single piece. Everything is done by hand… Even the twine is inspired by the Igorots. You just take the inspiration but use modern materials.”

An example of Oreña’s Jo Transformers, available at Magara, is a bracelet that one can wear also as a necklace.

Hybrid

Lirag’s Romack, hand-beaded tulle capelets, vest and scarf were inspired by Filipino tribal tattoos and reinterpreted as beaded accessories. She took a specific detail—in this case, fungana (fern)—and carried it throughout her wearable collection.

“This is a hybrid of sorts, an investment piece,” Lirag said. “I didn’t want my clients to be stuck with beaded portions of their dresses and never be able to use them again. So, for the last two years I made beaded accessories that they can wear on top of anything, something they can wear in the daytime and nighttime.”

All six pieces show the Filipino art of hand-beading and tattoo art.

Beatriz by Carissa Cruz-Evangelista features Grace, a macrame knotted purse with brass handles dipped in gold and decorated with onyx. The bag, Evangelista said, looks very luxurious, but the actual purse comes from a crafts community.

Delingon revived his large, Kalinga-inspired fiberglass vase, a contemporary design that was exhibited in the Milan furniture fair years ago. Delingon, who is also among Kultura’s consultants, reintroduced only two pieces of the fiberglass vase exclusive to the cause.

Crafts for a Cause was a one-night only engagement. Unsold items will still be available all year. Inquire at SM Kultura for more information.

Magara is located inside Kultura, 2/L, SM Makati. Other Kultura stores are at SM Aura Premier, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang Premier, and SM City Cebu. Visit www.kulturafilipino.com.