Innovating Traditions in the 12th Indigenous Fiber Fashion Fair

Text and photos by: Bombette G. Marin

THE long practice of weaving is considered as one of the highest form of artistic expression in Iloilo.

This unique art is passed on from generation to generation and has managed to retain its original form. Hablon and patadyong fabrics are manually woven by master craftspeople, with designs embedded into the fabric while it is on the loom.  These handloom fabrics are made in Miagao, Oton, Badiangan and Duenas, where skilled weavers have been making these textiles for several years.

The Indigenous Fiber Fashion Fair is an annual event that aims to encourage multi-sectoral collaboration for the development of the local weaving industry. The weaving industry is one of the priority agendas of the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism of the Iloilo Province. This aims to better capacitate our local weavers in production and market linkages. The event also aims

to preserve and develop the living tradition and art of Ilonggo weaving.

Hablon and Patadyong fabrics from different weaving municipalities will be displayed and sold at the fair. Aside from metered textiles, weavers now also sell shawls, headscarves, bags, purses, laptop bags, among other merchandise which customers can use regularly. Now, new patterns aside from the traditional ones are being woven, and these patterns appear in fabrics designed into wearable pieces by local fashion designers.

Creating highbrow aspiration, turning handlooms into affordable luxury for a discerning clientele, “fashionizing” hablon, modernizing the handwoven patadyong, making design interventions to save weaves from the sea of power-loom fabrics, launching sustainable businesses with weaving cluster, our local designers have introduced an urban sensitivity to handlooms.

On its 12th year, The Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism of the Iloilo Provincial

Government with the Department of Tourism VI and SM City Iloilo will feature local fashion designers John Montinola and Ayan Jorda for Grandiosa on its opening day fashion show scheduled on August 24 (Saturday); August 25 (Sunday) Habol Miagaoanon featuring the local government unit of Miagao; August 26 (Monday) Hablon Moda featuring Jeff Ticao.

August 27 (Tuesday) Hermosa for Peach Garde and Ysther Grejaldo; August 28 (Wednesday) Anyag with Jo Nino Damasco and Edward Sales; August 29 (Thursday) De Moda featuring an Accessory Fashion Show with tourism students from Central Philippine University and Annie Canonaso; Jet Torrento and Lexter Badana will close the 12th fiber fashion with Preciosa on August 30 (Friday).

All shows start at 6 p.m. at the Northpoint wing of SM City Iloilo.

The 12th Indigenous Fiber Fashion Week is organized by the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism of the Iloilo Provincial Government, the Department of Tourism Region VI and SM City Iloilo in cooperation with the municipalities of Miagao, Oton, Duenas and Badiangan, IMG and Daily Guardian. Hair and make-up for the daily fashion shows is by John Montinola.