After presenting his collection at Bench Design Awards 2017 and Ternocon 2020, Filipino fashion designer Jaggy Glarino returns to the runway of the Filipino clothing giant as he presents his most personal collection yet.
For his “Core Memory” collection at Bench Fashion Week (BFW) spring-summer 2023, Jaggy took a retrospective journey, rummaging through photo albums and revisiting special moments of his life that made him who he is today.
“The collection is a personal odyssey through my childhood core memories: our humble cafeteria (karinderya) as my playground; growing up observing my grandmother weave buri mats (banig) and crochet pillow covers; and playing dress-up with my sister using our printed cotton linen and curtains,” the designer says.
As a result, Jaggy presented a joyful collection that anyone witnessing it can’t help but smile and make subtle giggles for its nostalgic feel. His show starts with his play on fabric manipulation. One of the key elements guiding his creative process is sustainability, which is evident through the patched-worked pieces gracing the runway. Among the highlights of his show are the looks featuring his solihiya weaving and jackets turned into skirts, peplum, and other design elements. His show continues with his exploration of reused textiles with his reimagined terno and contemporary suit with elaborate headpieces completing the look. Marking the first half of his shows are muses in slip dresses and suit ensembles made of floral tablecloths, each carrying thermos and large bayong totes—a nod to his time growing up in a karinderya.
“I’m a huge fan of deconstruction,” Jaggy muses. “This season it was about tweaking an existing silhouette and trying to use them in other forms—a peplum or a volume on the skirt. It’s about reworking what is available.”
“We tried to be more sustainable this season. We tried to use what we have in the atelier,” he adds. “During the pandemic, we were cleaning up the studio and we were surprised by how many fabrics we have. The collection was about forcing myself to create something out of what we have. I think, when you're uncomfortable with something, you create magic.”
Toward the end, the show takes a dramatic turn as models carrying tables walk the runway as a beautiful and haunting version of the lullaby “Ili Ili Tulog Anay” plays in the background. The tablecloths are then revealed as frocks featuring the designer’s vibrant blanket and tablecloth hybrids. It is such a moment the audience can’t but applaud every transformation.
“It is really all about self-expression," the designer tells about his collection. "Sometimes you try to be somebody else when you’re in front of people. It’s more about looking for inspiration from where you are, looking from within.”
Check out his collection below:
Photos from Bench
Photos from Bench
Photos from Bench
Photos from Bench
Photos from Bench
Photos from Bench
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