Philippine indigenous fashion movement reaches Italy with Vogue Italia's latest editorial feature showcasing Filipino designers' creations.
Inspired by the Afrofuturism seen in Marvel Studios' "Black Panther" film, "Indigenous Futurism" editorial dives deep to the Philippines clothing heritage during its pre-colonial times, but modernized. It envisions what our indigenous style and people would be today if they weren't set aside and "described as backward and uncivilized."
Not new to the pages of the fashion magazine is photographer Mj Suayan, whose niche for conceptual imagery is evident in the latest editorial for the magazine's "Talent On The Set." The muse for this reimagination of local fashion is Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, wearing ensembles curated by stylist and designer Victor Mari Baguilat Jr.
"These photographs collect instances of the movement trying to imagine a future where indigenous perspectives are highly visible in the global fashion industry," Vogue Italia writes. "This work shows several creative realities coming together to restart the local fashion industry. It is nice to have such a political creative project in a delicate moment like the one we are experiencing."
See Pia wearing creations by Victor, Christine Tiu, Ron Aguro, and Thian Rodriguez in Vogue Italia's autumn-winter 2021-2022 feature here.