Daily Essentials
Due to the New Normal, wearing protective mask is now part of one's OOTD. Find colors you can mix and match with your outfits daily.
Robelyn Coguit Canto and The Art of Suyam: Finding Resonance in New Fashion Expressions 5th November 2019
In ancient Manobo culture, wisdom learned through experience is expressed through the oral traditions of tod-om and gudgud. While the tod-om originates from the babaylan’s (high priestess) own words, the gudgud springs from the incantations of invisible abyan, or spirit guides. Living close to the land and intimate with the natural elements, many of the Manobo’s seemingly utilitarian practices possess a spiritual dimension. Such is the practice of the traditional Manobo embroidery—the vanishing art of suyam.
PHILIPPINE HANDWOVEN FABRICS
Have you heard of INABEL, BINAKOL. HABLON, BALANGAW, PINILIAN and BARONG? These are some of the indigenous handwoven fabrics that belong to a dying insutry.
WYC Wear Your Culture
With more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines cradles within its mountains and seas a vast variety of cultures. These divergent customs, beliefs, and way of life find expression in the handiwork of women who take to the loom to weave fabrics of vibrant colors and embroider intricate designs snatched from visions and dreams. The indigenous fabrics of the Philippines find expression through the stylish collections of WYC.
THE WYC STORY
ALVIN + EVITA = REI is backed by two decades of exposure in the Fashion Industry as Professional Ramp and Commercial Models. Both have traveled various parts of ASIA, USA and EUROPE promoting Philippine Culture through Fashion Shows with prestigious designers like Renee Salud, Pitoy Moreno, Ben Farrales, Nono Palmos and Ditta Sandico.
In 2012, ALVIN + EVITA = REI started their events management company where they had an opportunity to immerse themselves in a weaving community. Having learned that hand weaving is a dying industry in the Philippines, they found the urge to find ways to create demand for handwoven fabrics to encourage the youth to continue this culture and tradition. More than wearing them on runways and cultural events, handwoven products should be something we can wear everyday. And that gave birth to WYC (Wear Your Culture), a line of clothing that uses Philippine handwoven Fabrics in modern designs for every Filipino to wear everyday.