5 minute read
On Indigenous Foot-urism and what we owe to each other
PHILIPPINES
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Story by Gilda Flores Photos courtesy of MJ Suayan, Rax Mercado, Joel Wijangco, Tal De Guzman, Victor Baguilat Jr., Mara Pinon and Roweliza Landicho
Talented Filipino shoe designers and makers complete the looks of Vogue Italia’s latest fashion editorial featuring an all-Pinoy creative team.
The shoes we wear make a lot of long-lasting impressions and these may either be positive or negative. Some might even say that it depends on how we carry them, but at a time when it matters to know who people really are, many fail to walk the talk.
A team of Filipino creatives, true to their commitment to bring local talent to the world stage, has banded together for an advocacy story featured in Vogue Italia. It isn’t just all about glamor: it is about sharing Filipino-ness through art and design while raising awareness about indigenous culture in the Philippines.
Together with seasoned photographer MJ Suayan, acclaimed fashion designer Victor Baguilat Jr., ambassador for Philippine arts and culture Pia Wurtzbach, and luxury destination Okada Manila, a team of Filipino shoe designers recently had a photoshoot which highlighted Indigenous Futurism. The fashion editorial also aims to showcase Filipino talent and craftsmanship, as well as the local industries that need to be acknowledged and supported, especially now in the time of a pandemic.
Shoes are an integral part of any outfit, but apart from bringing one’s attire together, shoes and shoe designs are may also be considered as an art form.
Joel Wijangco, Tal De Guzman, Victor Baguilat Jr., Mara Piñon and Roweliza Landicho were able to prove this through their respective skills, patterns, and innovations in the looks presented in “Indigenous Futurism.”
Joel Wijangco, a two-time awardee of the Philippine Footwear Design Competition, loves telling stories through his designs. He is known for adding cheeky, playful details to each pair of shoes he creates.
The look Cosmic Traveller Meets Palengkera No.2 resembles a coming together of both the future and the past. This aesthetic was shown through Wijanco’s shoe design. Inspired by the work footwear of Malabon fishwives, the shoes feature splashes and wavelike details. This blended well with the handwoven spacesuit made with fabrics sourced from Julongan Village, Kisangani, Ifugao.
De Guzman, in addition to being a shoe designer, is an accomplished social entrepreneur. As an advocate for local fashion and art, she founded Risque Designs, a label that carries sustainable, locally handcrafted footwear.
The Philippines is known for its vast flora and fauna; these add to the beauty of the country itself. The look Golden Harvest Meets Pawikan on Repeat, aside from highlighting our flora and fauna, aims to bring attention to the issue of waste pollution in the agricultural sector. To complete the said look and what it represents, De Guzman took inspiration from the pawikan and used hand carved heels to mimic its intricate shells. The leg straps were inspired by seagrass and were made of handwoven local fabric.
Mara Piñon makes fashion fun and enjoyable through her delightfully whimsical designs. She owns an online shoe store which focuses on the concept of “wearable art.”
For the look Nectar of Life Meets Drip, art imitates life in a very interesting way. Using fashion and style to raise awareness on how bees positively affect our ecosystem, Piñon liberally added a playful touch of color to her shoe design since the patterns she made were akin to golden honey drippings. Piñon’s shoe design is an homage to the five out of nine species of honeybees that are native to the Philippines.
Roweliza Landicho is from a family of shoemakers and bagmakers. She loves to create and craft both bespoke and commercial products, which carry both versatility and style.
The story behind the look Seafarer meets Mother oh Pearl was the plight of around 17 million Indige-
Joel Wijangco
Tal De Guzman
Mara Piñon
nous Peoples in the Philippines. To honor the plight of the country’s IP’s, Landicho’s strappy heeledshoes made use of silver leather together with a carved platform plated with mother of pearl. It was a simple design that shows strength and power. Artisanal accessories which were inspired by the characters and patterns of local weaves and textiles were also used to accentuate the entire outfit.
Victor Baguilat Jr., is a renowned international indigenous designer and stylist. In the course of his career, he has presented several of his designs at New York, Paris, and Melbourne Fashion Weeks.
Baguilat Jr.’s shoe design focused on the tensions between the military and Indigenous Peoples, which have been going on for years. He designed knee-high boots and paired it with a handwoven jacket with metallic details.
On the local shoe industry Marikina is dubbed as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines. It is home to the world’s largest pair of shoes as well as to local shoemakers and artisans. However, through the years, their local production has been affected by the increasing import of international products and the lack of attention that their products get in the digital age. This is not inevitable though. Our local shoemakers are talented and adept in their respective crafts. More designers, even those outside Marikina, have also joined the Foot-ure forward movement.
As consumers, we play a significant role in helping our local industries thrive and grow, especially now where the world is in quite a standstill.
Foot-urism involves the present The shoe designers in the Vogue Italia photo shoot, as well as other shoemakers in the Philippines, have continuously reminded us of how talented Filipinos are and how important it is to remember and uphold our culture no matter where we are. Culture and cultural representation should not just be viewed as commemorations during festivals and history lessons; they should be seen as a way of life, a warm embrace to our heritage and identity. This is the only way we can take steps to being truly foot-ure forward.
Roweliza Landicho
Victor Baguilat Jr.
