When designer bags were yet unheard of, old folks in my small hometown Borongan, Eastern Samar, would travel to Manila using bayong (native bags) as maleta. Almost always, inside that maleta was a banig (mat) made of tikog. Yes, Samar folks would bring that old reliable tikog na banig with them. He used it as mattress when he slept in a cot inside overcrowded cabins of old rusting passenger ships that ferried probinsiyano passengers from Samar to Manila. Most of us took ships as airfare was unaffordable. Only our rich kababayan would take Philippine Airlines. Traveling bags made of fake leather were sold in our mercado, but old folks including my beloved Tatay would rather have the reliable bayong.
As a child, I loved the bayong. To me it was high fashion. I particularly liked simple, plain ones. They were sturdy and in my young mind, contained a lot of cash. Each bayong was a labor of love and work of art. Besides, it was and still is biodegradable, therefore good for the environment.
Samar makes the most beautiful bayong and banig in the world. The town of Basey is famous for making the most intricate, colorful and sturdy banig. Some regions in the country make banig as well but not as pretty as the ones done in Basey. Banig from Basey is made of tikog. Samareños have been making tikog na banig even before the Spaniards came. Tikog is plentiful in Samar as it grows in forested areas and even in rice fields. Paraglara (mat weavers) in Samar prefer tikog which is smoother and finer than pandan. Tikog is dried under the sun, dyed and dried again.
I have seen a paraglara weave banig in its most intricate designs without the aid of a guide design. Banig designs can be from San Juanico Bridge, a peacock, flowers, house, birds, leaves, among others. The banig has evolved through the years. It’s no longer just used as sleeping mattress but as decorative material.
Banig is also exported abroad. Stores in Europe and America carry our hand woven banig and bayong. Even with competition from designer bags, the banig and bayong are standouts. Some designer bags even have banig designs. A number of Filipino designers who have made it abroad use indigenous materials such as tikog for their bags. There are also designers who use banig as designs. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time, banig will be discovered by Chanel or Louis Vuitton.
In Quezon City, there is a quaint little store that sells previously-owned designer bags. Shoppers often take a second look whenever they examine Chanel and Louis Vuitton leather goods on display at European Connection boutique. While the unassuming store location (third floor, 136 Katipunan Road, White Plains Quezon City) may give the impression that products are first-class imitations, boutique owner Berna Defensor is quick to emphasize every item in the boutique is authentic. In fact, some even come with its original shopping bag.
If all the items on display are genuine, why is the tag almost 50 percent off its regular boutique price? The answer is simple, the designer bags are pre-owned. Pre-owned designer bags are a big hit in the Internet shopping arena. Sites like eBay, yahoo, auction.com have made branded leather goods accessible to stylish yet smart shoppers.
European Connection boutique was born out of Berna’s love for designer bags. While it is but natural for women to acquire as much bags as their storage space could accommodate, there was a time when Berna had to give up some of her much-loved possessions.
“We were thinking of moving to Canada a few years ago, and I couldn’t bring all my bags. So I decided to sell them,” she says. She first offered the bags to friends. She went a step further by giving out flyers to interested “bag-shoppers” in her subdivision. In no time, neighbors, including socialites and movie stars came pouring in to check out her unique sale.
It earned a whopping P500,000 in sales. The success gave Berna an idea for a business. A natural entrepreneur, she struck a formidable deal with pre-owned designer bag suppliers in Japan and Hong Kong.
“In Japan for example, women like buying the latest styles. Designer brands come out with new styles almost every week and slightly used bags would be discarded by owners in favor of the newer styles,” she says.
Every item in the store shelf is in perfect condition, absolutely no signs of wear and tear from the previous owner. “I’m very particular about every bag I get. We all know it is pre-owned, but aside from the price, there shouldn’t be any sign that it was used before,” she says. As for the price, shoppers can save as much as 50 percent off its regular boutique price.
While the boutique is open daily, Berna also understands some shoppers wish to buy in private. Thus there are certain days when the shop is exclusively for VIP shoppers. “You will be surprised, but a lot of celebrities and socialites don’t mind buying pre-owned bags,” she says.