Apart from being the Love Month, February in the Philippines is also observed as the National Arts Month. It is a time when arts in different forms are celebrated through a myriad of exhibits, displays, and shows, with the mission of bringing arts closer to the people. But the theme goes beyond the artistic field. This month, we’ve seen numerous creative spins on wearable pieces, from shoes to dresses, putting more substance and style to everyday items. Echoing that was lifestyle concept store Univers and French label Moreau Paris as they partnered with six artists to turn bags into their canvases.

Unveiled last Feb. 20 at the ALT Philippines’ exhibition in SMX Convention Center in Pasay City were the handpainted bags of Costantino Zicarelli, Jigger Cruz, Johanna Helmuth, Luis Antonio Santos, Raffy Napay, and Yeo Kaa. These bags presented each of their artistic expression, putting a Filipino twist on the French brand’s beloved bags.

For the collaboration, Jigger Cruz put his signature color palette and techniques on the bag. His piece, dubbed “Brown Man Blues,” was imbued with impasto of different hues. Something floral was Johanna Helmuth’s “What I Carry.” Yeo Kaa’s “Plain and Basic” exuded playfulness with her charming illustration depicted on the bag. Raffy Napay looked at the people’s relationship with their environment for his “Man and Nature” piece. Rustic and modern was Luis Antonio Santos’ collage for his “skin:shadow” piece. Lastly, Constantino Zicarelli adorned his Moreau Bag with various motifs, mostly of Filipino sensibilities, in creating his “Tattoos on Green Skin” masterpiece.

What set this merging of fashion and arts apart from the rest was its mission to give back to the community. During the ALT Philippines run, the bags were auctioned off, with proceeds given to Action for the Care and Development of the Poor in the Philippines, Inc. (ACAP), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting underprivileged children, particularly through educational initiatives facilitated by an art program.

“When you work with artists, somehow you help the society and you also give them culture,” Univers founder Mark “Jappy” Gonzalez told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “I feel that it is best delivered that way… It is nice when you involve people in the giving part. It is about us coming together to give.”

Check out the bags up close below:

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