Beyond special occasion dressing, piña can be transformed into bomber jackets for the office, or its fibers can find new life in sneakers. Off-cuts from leather and fabric are reimagined as fashion accessories. Designers create their own prints using biodegradable ink, proving that special fabrics need not be scarce. Abaca, traditionally used for home textiles and hats, can be treated to produce sturdy fashion bags.
ArteFino founders Suzy Quiros, Maritess Pineda, Cedie Vargas, Mita Rufino, Marimel Francisco
For its seventh season, Filipino artisanal fair Artefino has coined the theme KaPamana. “This year, we’re taking heritage forward,” says ArteFino co-founder Cedie Lopez-Vargas. “The question is: What are we passing on now? Perhaps new ways of styling traditions. The clothes and accessories are more fashion-forward but grounded in artisanal values.”
Some 100 vendors will showcase fashion, home elements, and food at The Fifth at Rockwell from August 22 to 25.
Vargas embodies the fair’s ethos. In this interview with TheDiarist.ph, she wears a barong blouse with contrasting band of black stripes and a skirt of colorful piña patchwork by La Herminia Piña Weaving. A bag from social enterprise Rags2Riches, with an accent of a colorful silicon heart by artist Leeroy New, completes her look. Iconoclast sculptor Leroy New will present his silicon Sacred Hearts as lighting fixtures this year.
“ArteFino began as a platform for advocacy, appreciation, patronage, and awareness of Filipino artisans and craftsmen,” Vargas explains. “As we grew, we incorporated sustainability into our mission. We encourage upcycling to contribute to the Climate Change conversation.”
ArteFino pioneered in promoting fashion from upcycled or recycled products. Anya Lim, co-founder and managing director of ANTHILL Fabric Gallery, is one of the fair’s champions of creating zero-waste products by transforming scraps of local weaves into contemporary clothing. (The acronym stands for Alternative Nest and Trading or Training Hub for Indigenous or Ingenious Little Livelihood.)
LOKAL Home+Art+Fashion, led by movie director/designer Connie Macatuno, has similar advocacy; it also avoids waste by repurposing fabric scraps from indigenous weave garments.
Lakat sneakers using upcycled coco coir
Lakat Sustainables offers a line of hand-stitched sneakers with outer soles made from recycled rubber tires and inner soles crafted from coco coir or discarded coarse coconut fibers.
Vargas explains that ArteFino’s earnings have funded HeArtefino, its offshoot that provides grants to designer-artisan communities. Among the beneficiaries are accessories designer Zarah Juan, Anya Lim, and Mike and Benj Claparols’ Creative Definitions, which works with weavers in Negros Island. When the Gender-Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women (GREAT) Women Project received a grant to produce indigenous textiles from communities nationwide, ArteFino invited designers to create products using these fabrics, which were then sold in the artisanal fair.
HeArtefino has also provided smaller grants to communities for purchasing new looms. In times of crisis, proceeds have been used for essential needs, such as purchasing light fixtures for the Philippine General Hospital during the pandemic, and supporting the Tanging Yaman Foundation’s efforts to aid a weaving community in Abra after typhoon devastation.
This year, ArteFino is partnering with SoFa Design Institute, which hosted the photo sessions and press launch last week. Notably, some ArteFino exhibitors have studied at SoFa.
A selection of ArteFino’s remarkable vendors:
EMERIE STUDIOS
After graduating from SoFa, Em Adizas and Bengt Enrique established their namesake brands. Recognizing the power of collaboration, they formed Emerie, a portmanteau of their names, specializing in contemporary piña barong.
Em Adizas and Bengt Enrique in pina jackets from Emerie Studio
Determined to redefine the millennial perception of the barong beyond weddings, funerals, and other formal occasions, they immersed themselves in the world of their target market by attending congressional and Senate sessions. Observing politicians concealing the beauty of the artisanal fabric beneath denim jackets, they conceived a fusion of a modern jacket silhouette with the exquisite handwoven piña shifu from Aklan. Thicker and more durable than piña silk, piña shifu proved ideal for transitioning from office to cocktail events.
“We wanted the younger generation to see piña as the ultimate cool party wear,” Enrique explains.
Emerie’s signature piña bomber jacket, adorned with subtle red and blue detailing evocative of the Philippine flag, has garnered significant attention. Customized zippers with accent leather pulls from Marikina add a touch of youthfulness. To support Maranao craftsmanship, they incorporated a carabao brass pin with piña kerchief inspired by the Boy Scouts uniform.
Regular fittings with young politicians provide invaluable feedback on jacket length, cuffs, and collars, informing the designers’ future creations. While menswear trends lean towards the radical and gender fluidity, Adizas and Enrique remain steadfast in their preference for classic, masculine styles.
ATTY EUSTAQUIO X BAYO ATELIER
HeArteFino is spotlighting a collaboration between designer-turned-artist Patricia Eustaquio and Bayo Atelier, which has rebranded itself to prioritize eco-friendly practices and support artisan communities. Eustaquio has created clothing using fabrics printed with her artwork in biodegradable ink.
Patty Eustaquio in her designs and Bayo Atelier clothes bearing her artwork prints
Eustaquio’s standout piece for ArteFino is a transformable shirtdress designed to minimize waste. The versatile dress can be worn with or without sleeves, and the skirt can be detached to create a longer top.
ALEGRE by TECHIE HAGEDORN
Techie Hagedorn launched her business in 2009 with jersey resort wear and kaftans. As fashion trends leaned towards local aesthetics, she incorporated indigenous weaves in her designs and produced custom-made, Lumban-embroidered barong for high-end clients.
Alegre by Techie Hagedorn top with embroidery from Abra
The Alegre collection for ArteFino consists of separates adorned with artisanal embroideries from Peñarubia, Abra, and accent trims from Benguet. Hagedorn envisions the barong as everyday attire. “You can pair a polo barong with jeans,” she says. “I use jusi because it’s affordable and machine-washable.”
EARL GARIANDO
Earl Gariando accessories using repousse technique
Earl Carlo Gariando discovered a world of possibilities when he encountered a craftsman specializing in repoussé, a metal relief decoration technique. Traditionally used for religious crowns and carroza embellishments, the artisan ware was transformed into contemporary jewelry.
In 2013, Gariando’s Rococo Bag, featuring gilt repoussé designs, won the LOOK magazine LOOK of Style Award, a competition launched by the British Council in partnership with Inquirer Lifestyle and LOOK magazine. It earned him a six-month accessory design scholarship at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK. His eponymous brand is renowned for intricate gold bangles, repoussé brass minaudières dipped in 24K gold, and gold necklaces.
Earl Gariando, his faux leather bag made of abaca, with his signature repousse accent
He is a regular at ArteFino. Gariando’s new collection showcases bags of sturdy abaca made by Salay Handmade Paper Products Industries, adorned with his signature repoussé designs
ArteFino is more than a showcase; it’s a movement. By championing sustainability, innovation, and the preservation of Filipino traditional craftsmanship, the fair empowers both designers and artisans. It’s a platform where heritage meets modernity, and where every piece tells a story of culture and creativity. As the event unfolds, it promises to be a celebration of Filipino ingenuity, inspiring a new generation of conscious designers and consumers and driving positive change in the fashion industry.
