HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE
When the Spouses of the Heads of Mission (SHOM) mounted their annual fundraiser this 2024, it was a stroke of good fortune that they synergized with SM Retail and Kultura. With the partnership, the event brought together the diplomatic community, Filipino cultural identity, a retail giant, and strong support for our local artisan communities and MSMEs.
The proceeds from the fashion show and the auctioned artwork were earmarked for the marginalized communities that have been SHOM advocacies for years now. Vulnerable women and children, and persons with disabilities are included in the list of these communities. And it’s no coincidence that these same groups are given special attention by SM Cares and the SM Foundation. So here was kismet of a different order, a proverbial alignment of the stars.
I attended the event at the Marriott Grand Ballroom and it was as much about friendship, volunteerism, and camaraderie as it was about fashion and design. The fact that so many ambassadors freely gave their time to rehearse and participate speaks volumes about their spirit of cooperation — or perhaps about the willpower of their spouses.
To say some diplomats felt a tad uncomfortable or reluctant about doing the catwalk would be an understatement; but uniformly, they were game, and it showed as they were showered with cheers, flag-waving and loud applause — something perhaps even their speeches during official functions may not elicit? So I’m sure they all ended up enjoying the experience. And I know how in their enthusiasm I would see posts from their friends and supporters, saying this was as good as Paris and Milan Fashion Week! It may not have been as good, but certainly more fun and meaningful — and that’s what’s more important.
I had the opportunity to speak to H.E. Michel Parys, the Belgian ambassador, right before the show; and he was all praises for SM’s Kultura, and how they found an accent weave design for his Barong Tagalog that carried the Belgian colors. You knew Kultura had just provided him with his favorite barong of all time. Good job, Kultura!
RJ Ledesma, in introducing the fashion show, called it our version of a “United Nations of models,” and that certainly was an apt description as ambassador after ambassador, their spouses, their children, and more diplomats, came out from the wings and traipsed along the runway. In fact, what every member of the audience anticipated was that moment at the foot of the runway, when each “model” struck a pose. For the male ambassadors, it was their Zoolander moment — in diplomatic fashion.
As for Kultura, it continues to earn my admiration. While fairs and special weekends highlighting our traditional weaves, artisan communities, and circular economy MSME’s are scheduled on a periodic or annual schedule, let’s acknowledge that Kultura is doing precisely that same thing on a “day in-day out” retail basis, plus spread over several locations in most major SM malls. It’s the number one go-to for foreign tourists looking for something Filipino to bring back to their respective countries.
But more importantly, their supply chain is the very lifeline of these artisan communities and MSMEs. To be a regular supplier is to achieve a status that turns your production into a year round operating concern, and not something that’s merely seasonal. That’s true support that translates into something sustainable; and I applaud that, as it’s often taken for granted by us consumers.
I’ve had the opportunity to speak to Ivy Yap, who runs Kultura, and I am a friend of Felicia Trinidad-Velasco, one of their long-time consultants. Kultura celebrated its 20th anniversary just earlier this year and that’s really quite an accomplishment. To most Filipinos, it’s perceived as a specialty store carrying apparel, decor, and food products that primarily cater to foreign guests; but the vision of the Kultura today has evolved and transitioned.
With the mushrooming interest in modern Filipiniana, as worn on a daily and casual basis by Filipinos, Kultura is a perennial godsend. Whether for women or for men, the apparel section of Kultura remains dynamic, constantly seeking out new designs and interpretations, that can make Filipino fashion an everyday statement.
That there’s hope for this to go global is encouraged by the likes of events such as Dilpomats for a Cause. The diplomats were complimenting the local designs that they wore on the night. If Cuba can have their guayabera enter mainstream fashion globally, why not our polo barongs — or a version of it. Merging smart design, comfort, and subtle colors could lead to such a breakthrough.
And while I’m waiting for that to happen, here’s to the continued growth of Kultura.