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A stitch in time
Another designer bringing traditional
Philippine fashion to the 21st century
is Len Cabili, whose line Filip+Inna
(
www.filipinna.com
) has earned her a
cult following around the world. She is
on a mission: apart from intertwining
heritage designs with hip silhouettes,
such as this slim-cut, heavily
embroidered skirt (top photo), she’s out
to help preserve traditional embroidery,
beadwork and textile making so they
can continue to provide craftsmen with
a livelihood. The designer works with a
variety of indigenous groups — mostly
women who use skills that have been
passed down to them for generations
— in keeping with the social aspect
of her design philosophy. Most of the
geometric patterns in Cabili’s designs
are inspired by heirloom traditions: the
Vicenta pencil skirt and Petra pants in
this spread, for instance, feature the
traditional embroidery pattern and
beadwork of the B’laan and Tiboli in
Southern Mindanao. “The clothes are
sent to the Tiboli in South Cotabato for
the embroidery and beadwork,” says
the designer.
Len Cabili is one designer out
to help preserve traditional
embroidery, beadwork and textile-
making so that these can continue
to provide craftsmen with a livelihood
Taho,
anyone? The local soybean and caramel syrup
snack is an enduring favorite; (below) there’s no
shortage of antique touches in Taal’s homes