Baro at Sayá Celebrates the Transformative Power of Play and Showcases Filipino Fashion Brands
Local designers Len Cabili, Ito Curata, Rhett Eala, Zarah Juan, Marga Nograles’ Kaayo, Anne Marie Saguil, Paloma Zobel’s PioPio, and Rajo Laurel showcased a unique collection inspired by traditional Filipino songs and games in Baro at Sayá Fashion Show, the follow up to Awit at Laro, which was spearheaded by UNICEF Ambassador Gary Valenciano and Tukod Foundation’s Bambi Mañosa-Tanjutco. The collection served as the younger generation’s introduction to Filipino wear to start them young in wearing their culture and heritage with pride and honor.
The fashion show, co-presented by Grand Hyatt Manila, was scored by celebrated local music artists, featuring their modern interpretations of treasured Filipino folk songs and rhymes. Guest artists for the night included Gary Valenciano, the Awit at Laro album producer, Darren Espanto, and Joey Ayala. Sofia Zobel Elizalde’s STEPS dance project also participated in the show with choreography by James Laforteza. Proceeds of the show will go to support the child-based projects of UNICEF, Tukod Foundation and the renovation of Museo Pambata.
Design influences
Each artist took inspiration from the Awit at Laro song that was assigned to them. Rajo Laurel who was one of the designers for the show, aside from being its fashion consultant, shared, “I am so privileged to be part of such a special and worthwhile endeavour.” His collection had an element of play, he adds. “I actually made my own fabric for the collection and asked my nephews and nieces to help. One weekend I brought some fabric and paint and we just had a blast. I wanted to truly incorporate the sense of play in the collection and what better way to do this by literally playing with my nieces and nephews. It was fun!”
Len Cabili who highlighted her children’s line, said that the revival of games we grew up with is something close to her heart. “The theme is really unique and fun, we focused on our core competencies and found a way to relate it to the whole thrust of the project”, she shares.
For Ito Curata, the project brought back childhood memories and the moments he spent playing with his son. “It brought out so many emotions in me, and I was challenged because designing with a Filipino game in mind brought me out of my design comfort zone.
Rhett Eala showed off the stately side of Filipiniana. “Our pieces combined several fabrics and techniques of embroidery to highlight our mixed cultures, making you stand out. Each piece was made to reflect the rich culture that we represent made wearable and relatable for the modern woman,” he explains.
Zarah Juan likewise experienced the joy of play, as she turned to playing piko with her team for inspiration. “This collaboration is a celebration of who we are as Filipinos. It is deeply rooted to our culture and heritage which makes it inspiring and exciting.”
Marga Nograles highlighted the traditional weaves in her work. “We took inspiration and put together our favorite weaves that represented Filipino song and play. Then we mixed some hand beading and embroidery by the indigenous tribes that we work with and topped it off with fun Filipino accessories. Each piece presented a fun and unique story,” she promised.
It’s embroidered wearable art that Anne Marie Saguil of Amarie had set out on the runway, as part of empowering the Filipino people through art, craftsmanship, culture and sustainability. “The design process for the collection was quite different and a lot of fun for me because childhood, fun and play was the central theme for the clothes’ colors and silhouettes. As a result, the collection took on a younger playful vibe but still always suitable for the adult modern Filipina.”
For Paloma Zobel’s PioPio, the collection was all about the Filipino family. “We thought it would be fun to include the Mañosas, our brand ambassadors, in all stages of this project. Awit at Laro is all about family, generations and going back to this holistic child-like mentality where we showcase the importance of playing and our traditions. By allowing our brand ambassadors to help in the designing process, from picking fabrics to designing their dream outfits, we carried through this theme of getting back in touch with our roots and using art and creativity to help bond families and friends.”
