Filipino fashion accessories become more meaningful when they incorporate the country’s culture and heritage, Agsam Fashion Fern founder and Fashion Accessories Makers of the Philippines (FAMPh) President Gina Nebrida Ty said, urging greater support for local materials, artisans, and traditional craftsmanship.
“You know that there’s Philippine heritage, but when I started getting immersed with NCCA, I saw the beauty of Philippine culture, Philippine heritage, and the richness of that,” Ms. Ty told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of an event.
Agsam Fashion Fern, owned by Ms. Ty, is a fashion brand that makes accessories from a native fern called agsam, which is found in Surigao del Sur. FAMPh is the Philippines’ first and largest organization of fashion accessory makers, designers, and manufacturers.
Ms. Ty said that her commitment to promoting Filipino fashion accessories started when she became an officer of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). It was during her six-year term that she became deeply immersed in Philippine heritage, which inspired her to incorporate culture and tradition into her fashion accessories and designs.
“When I was starting designing, there wasn’t much culture and heritage. But when I immersed myself and got involved and started working with NCCA, that’s when I saw the beauty of our heritage across the nation,” Ms. Ty said.
She said that putting an element of culture and tradition to a simple accessory or apparel can change the narrative.
“You can wear a pair of shoes, and then you have another pair of shoes next to it. But what would make the other one more interesting? Probably, there’s a story behind it. Probably, there’s a heritage story behind it. So, definitely, a story of heritage and tradition makes a lot of difference in making one product,” she said.
Ms. Ty said that the Philippines can make use of the country’s vast food products, such as bananas and pineapples. She said that the Philippines is abundant in bananas and pineapples, and these should be promoted and utilized.
According to Ms. Ty, one of the greatest challenges faced by Filipino local artisans when it comes to craftsmanship is that their products are replicated by neighboring countries and sold at cheaper prices.
“People from the Cordillera region, it was even a big news during the pandemic that the Cordillera region were just digitized,… and then, they’re made in China, imported from China, and then you saw it in the Divisoria stalls,” Ms. Ty said.
“I think it’s in the nature of any consumer to buy something that is less expensive or more affordable…but then again, as mentioned earlier by Jed, it’s all relative. These are variable costs. What is cheaper for you may be not acceptable to me, right? An item is expensive if the consumer doesn’t understand why it’s expensive,” she said.
Ms. Ty said that patronizing local products should start with the government and the private sector. She said this can already be seen in the government sector through the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 9242, which prescribes the wearing of Philippine tropical fabrics by public officials and employees. She added that she also wears her products as a form of a “walking advertisement.”
“If the government and the private sector start patronizing [the local fabrics], then our patronage of imported materials will be lessened. The reason why there’s imported materials is because there’s a demand for that, right? It’s a supply and demand issue, but if there’s no demand, no one will import,” Ms. Ty said.
She also said that the youth can contribute significantly to promoting and supporting local fabrics and textiles. She said the youth can contribute by amplifying the products through social media, wearing the products, and refraining from purchasing replicas of local fabrics and textiles.
“Wear it, talk about it, make some noise about it, and third, do not buy anything that copies the weaving,” Ms. Ty said.
Ms. Ty said that many Filipino designers patronize Philippine fabrics. However, sometimes they do not have a choice but to import materials because of cost.
“I wish that the designers can reduce the importation of imported materials and use more Filipino [fabrics]. I don’t blame them because they have a cost to follow. They need to make margins…I wish for the designers or the design sector that they mitigate their use of imported materials and to use more dominant Filipino,” Ms. Ty said.— Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba
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