The Artefino Crowd Shows Cool Ways To Wear Philippine-Made Fashion

(SPOT.ph) Over the past decade, it’s been increasingly fashionable to wear our very own. Just skim thru the crowd in many of Manila’s most covered events: there will always be a good number of guests—women and men, young and old—sporting something embroidered by the womenfolk of Lake Sebu or woven by a community of artisans in Samar. It can be a bolero in Maguindanaoan textile, or a pair of sexy wedges spiced up with yakan fabric.

Indeed, wearing local is no longer just a tita thing to do (that thinking is so old, it needs glasses). It’s all thanks to the aggressive efforts of movements such as Artefino, founded in 2017 by Maritess Pineda, Mita Rufino, Cedie Lopez-Vargas, Susie Quiros and Marimel Francisco. The group “endeavors to highlight homegrown brands and products that support, revitalize, and ensure the survival of time-honored traditions of Philippine craft."

Through Artefino’s annual August bazaars (and their December pop-ups), they’ve sparked an excitement to wearing locally made clothes and accessories, many of which are lovingly and painstakingly made by hand by artisan communities from all over.

How Artefino fans wear local 

Artefino’s supporters have also made it easy for others to imagine how to incorporate these Philippine-made pieces into everyday wardrobes, as if they’ve always been part of their daily rotation. We encountered quite a number of them in the recent Artefino event which launched this year’s fair happening from August 22 to 25 at The Fifth at Rockwell, a four-day bazaar that will showcase 100 heritage brands and products. Some of these guests were even sporting stuff they’ve had for years, making another important case for supporting these fine Filipino brands: when designed well and made well, they can be the new classics.

Artefino 2024 opens August 22 to 25 at The Fifth at Rockwell, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City. For more information, visit Artefino on Facebook.