It is exciting to see that more and more people are paying interest in the Philippine fashion and retail industry. New names, faces, practitioners and brands are cropping up.

Local fashionistas and celebrities proudly wear pieces from Filipino designers and brands. Many want a piece of the Philippine fashion pie. Indeed, it is a welcome development.

The Filipino pride movement is one I have long been a part of. I have an adoration for piña, abaca, tinalak and anything handmade with Made in the Philippines tag. It is a tradition that I hope and pray does not become a lost art. From the clothes I wear to the pieces in my home, I advocate highlighting, displaying and preserving Filipino culture in any way possible.

The works of Filipino design pioneers such as Ramon Valera, Pitoy Moreno and Patis Tesoro have always amazed me because of the soul each piece embodies. As a designer, I’ve always been guided by my vision, which is “de-ethnicizing the ethnic”—injecting a modern sensibility into traditional materials and techniques.

Kindred spirit

So it is always a joy to discover and interact with kindred spirits who share this passion and mission. Recently, I was ecstatic to have met Lenora Capili in a trunkshow of her label, Filip+Inna, organized by non-profit organization Maria.Maria. Lenora’s exposure to various ethnic groups as a former member of the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company has greatly influenced her personal style. She recalls how, when she was growing up in Iligan city, Maranaos would often come to her parents’ home in beautiful head-to-toe regalia. This was the driving force that has led her to create the clothing brand.

Filip+Inna goes beyond fashion pieces. It serves as a bridge between traditional culture and modern life, intertwining contemporary with heritage and making the traditions relevant to a woman’s everyday lifestyle. Each piece is handmade by an artisan from the T’boli, Gadang and Maranao communities. Aside from preserving the craft, it is a source of income generation for these communities.

“The work of the hands is evident so you see the beauty and depth which is not captured by machines,” says Capili. The clothes travel around the Philippines before they finds their way to the buyer. It is fascinating to witness the journey her collection takes, which she shares in her website and blog filipinna.com.

For future collections, Leonora is working on establishing relationships with other ethnic communities to showcase more of our indigenous skills and techniques.

Familiar rush

Being a staunch admirer of handmade details such as embroidery, beading and weaving, I was instantly drawn to Filip+Inna pieces. As I browsed through the collection, I felt a familiar rush of excitement upon discovering a new fashion treasure. The collection has luxuriously beaded caftans in satin and Thai silk, colorful beaded linen dresses, embroidered pencil skirts and elegant tinalak and piña jackets.

My favorite piece is a pair of bright yellow T’boli embroidered cotton chambray shorts, which was snapped up by American designer Tory Burch on a recent trunkshow in New York city. The brand caters mainly to the foreign market, holding seasonal trunk shows in cities such as New York and Singapore. If you’re lucky, pieces can occasionally be found at AC+632 in Greenbelt.

What I love most about the collection is the designer’s ability to modernize traditional techniques by using fabrics such as cotton, linen and silk in classic silhouettes (such as shift dresses, caftans, miniskirts and chic shorts), combined with seashell beadwork or indigenous embroidery patterns. The collection is easy to wear and not limited to Filipinana occasions.

For instance, I plan to wear my newl beaded tinalak cropped jacket with wide-legged jeans and wooden clogs. Filip+Inna proves that it is possible to seamlessly incorporate a Filipino aesthetic in your everyday wardrobe. As Capili says, “Our culture is our fingerprint, it is what defines us and distinguishes us from other countries. We should embrace it and make it a part of our everyday life.”

Call Filip+Inna at 09178611611, visit www.filipinna.com.