Francis Libiran is no stranger to designing for Filipino champions. In the past, he created pieces for crowned beauty queens and the brightest names in the music and entertainment scene. His designs have also been worn by international talents and masters, proving that his designs are world-class. That is one of the things he loves about his job—that he was able to represent the Philippines through clothing. This time, he marks a new chapter in his career as he crafts modern barong for Filipino athletes competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

On July 26, 2024, Filipino athletes will cruise the Seine River wearing Francis’ custom barong for the opening parade of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The event is set to be a historic one as it will be the first time for the Olympic Summer Games to have an opening parade outside a stadium.

“I envisioned our athletes going to battle and the barong will be their armor,” the designer tells Style Weekend. “It represents their heritage and who they are as athletes.”

The designer’s creative journey to the Olympics started one Saturday morning when the Philippine Olympic Committee contacted him to design their uniform for the opening parade. Francis was so excited that was able to come up with six designs by afternoon.

“The instruction was that it needs to be very visible from afar because the opening parade will be held in the Seine River in Paris,” Francis recalls. “I was challenged by the idea so much that I came up with five to six designs for them to choose from. They chose ‘Sinag.’”

An ode to the Philippines, the barong features many design elements that capture the country’s rich heritage, merged with his penchant for architectural and linear motifs. The barong is made of piña-jusi fabric sourced from Kalibo, Aklan, and is adorned with jewel buttons. Adding flair to the look is the removable sling-style piece—an armor, as the designer described it. Made of silk organdy, the sling is tinted with the Philippine flag’s colors—vibrant blue and red with yellow embroidery. The embroidery, which is also mirrored on the barong’s collar, presents a sunray image through a pattern in homage to the Pintados warriors. Completing the sling’s design is a band in the colors of the flag of France, a nod to the 2024 Olympic Games’ host country.

“I want something like an armor attached to the barong,” Francis says about the sling. “That every time they wear it, they will feel so proud.”

This is not the first time Francis designed a piece for the Philippine Team competing in international games. He designed barongs for Filipino athletes during the 2019, 2022, and 2023 editions of the SEA Games. One of the things that remained constant in his barong designs is the detachable pieces. For him, that element gives his piece versatility as Filipino athletes can continue to wear them for different occasions.

“I want my barong to be used on other special occasions that’s why I designed it with a removable sling/armor,” he muses. “When you remove that detail, it becomes a traditional barong.”

Francis prepared 25 “Sinag” barongs for the opening parade. It will be worn by the country’s flag bearers, boxers and Olympic silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, together with other Filipino delegates. He admits that it has been his dream for a long time to design a piece for the Philippine Team competition at the Olympics. And the 2024 Paris Olympics couldn’t have been a better time for his dream to become a reality.

“Well, it started with the SEA Games. Of course, you are trying to aim high,” he says. “It is kind of serendipitous as the Paris Olympics 2024 marks the 100th year of the Philippines joining the Olympic Games. It is memorable for me.”

Photographs by Bon Jasper Taligatos
Grooming by Nica Reyes for NARS Philippines
Videography by Ariana Maralit
Shot on location at Francis Libiran's atelier in Quezon City
Special thanks to Arsi Baltazar and Kacey Pamintuan

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