Updating the Filipiniana

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Updating the Filipiniana
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MANILA - Could it be true that Filipinos have no affection for the national dress?

Despite recent efforts to foster renewed interest in the Filipiniana, specifically the terno, fashion designers admit there’s not much request for traditional wear from their clients, particularly the age 35 and below.

“It’s sad, but unless there’s an occasion, or [they’re attending] the Sona (State of the Nation Address), they don’t ask for Filipiniana,” says Rajo Laurel, who’s a favorite among young socialites.

Auggie Cordero, whose clients include Margarita “Ting-Ting” Cojuangco, who dons Filipiniana in most of her social engagements, offers an even sadder assessment.

“I think we’ve been too colonized,” he says. “Filipinos have no affection for the national dress. That’s why we don’t have a market. It should be ingrained [in the client] for her to want this nationalistic look. It should be in Filipinos’ consciousness, hindi uso-uso lang [not just a trend].”

It seems economics is also the culprit. Cordero says the prohibitive cost of materials traditionally used in Filipiniana wear, such as embroidered piña and jusi, often discourages clients. On top of that, there aren’t that many events and occasions that call for Filipiniana, making a new terno dress seem like a waste.

This is a concern that resonates well with Audrey Zubiri, the young wife of Sen. Miguel Zubiri. A regular Laurel client, she often asks that the butterfly sleeves of her terno be detachable so she could get more mileage out of her gown. “I have to be practical,” she says, referring to the many functions she must attend with her husband.

Labor-intensive

Filipiniana is also labor-intensive, notes Paul Cabral, who makes ternos for Lani Mercado, wife of Sen. Bong Revilla, and Sen. Loren Legarda, among others. A designer, however, can do only so much if the client isn’t into it. “Lahat tuturuan mo (You have to teach them everything)!” Cabral adds with a chuckle.

Designers are constantly challenged to create pieces that look more modern to appeal to today’s customer. For instance, they substitute satin, chiffon, taffeta for piña and jusi. For butterfly sleeves, Dennis Lustico chucks the traditional round shape for one with “corners”.

Still, there are some who are undaunted, even attracted by old Filipiniana wear. Mia Borromeo, a consultant for Philippine Tatler and Celestina, collects silk malongs and fabrics. She’s a proud owner of a vintage Ramon Valera terno from the 1960s, handed down to her by an aunt.

“My Filipiniana pieces are old,” she says proudly, among them gifts from her mom, Sen. Loren Legarda and Cojuangco. She likes to mix vintage with new stuff. Borromeo wears jeans with barong Tagalog.

This is just the kind of inspired style that seems to escape many young Filipinas.

In the recent Amorsolo dinner at Makati Shangri-La, Cordero noted the style of sisters-in-law Lizzie and Kit Zobel.

Lizzie wore a gossamer Maria Clara top without panuelo, its neckline cut wide so it slid off one shoulder. It expelled conventional images of the national dress as stiff and itchy.

“Ang daming magagawa, kailangan lang tanggapin [There’s so much that can be done, clients just need to accept them],” Cordero says.

To prove this point, Cordero, Laurel, Lustico, with Ivarluski Aseron and Joey Samson suggest ideas on these pages on how the modern Filipina can incorporate Filipiniana into her wardrobe.

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