Philippine Fashion Week Review: burdang taal: Native fabrics can be modern and wearable

Over 10 collections highlighted the age-old hand-embroidered technique that is known as burdang Taal, predominantly used on fabrics such as piña and jusi for formal wear. Showcasing the beauty of this particular skill (which can also be done on other fabrics such as cotton), some designers played off the material, while some went totally overboard and went from couture to costume drama. The overall show was refreshingly brief with a majority of the designers having three pieces each, aside from menswear label Bergamo which opened the show with nine creations that were an interesting play on gentleman farmer and stylish academe. Combining barong silhouettes with a jacket one could imagine on an old world scholar roaming the streets of a once elegant Manila. Tonichi Nocom’s collection featured a more conservative yet cleanly tailored barong tagalog wearable by those looking to stick to something classic. Other standouts were FDCP president JC Buendia’s feminine twist on an otherwise predictable-looking silhouette such as a billowy sleeve or an almost shirtdress-length sleeveless top. Vic Barba also kept to subtle touches, using the embroidered fabric as an accent piece, to complement an easy-to-wear ensemble. Romance seemed to inspire Dong Omaga-Diaz with dresses that incorporated bustles and bows. More drama ensued with the use of bold colors that were probably needed to perk up an otherwise drab flesh-colored fabric choice. Richard Papa fused a shocking orange that seemed to bleed out from a heavily embroidered bodice, making a surefire statement from head to toe. Color-blocking and cutouts made for a more playful mod-ish vibe for Ole Morabe’s short dresses, especially a web-like mini cape that draped from his second creation. Lastly, black and white dramatics came from Oskar Peralta, keeping in sync with an overdose of prints and mixed fabric, which seems to be a worldwide fascination nowadays. The show could have ended with his floor-length number complete with full-length feathered cape floating behind it. Whether or not the actual skill of the burda was completely highlighted during this show is in question as some of the more over-the-top embellishments or add-ones of several designers drew attention away from the craftsmanship. There were several brave attempts to steer clear from the obvious result of something “Filipiniana” into something perceived as more worldly; some took that too far resulting in unwearable pieces. Perhaps a better quality of fabric may have enabled the designers to do away with the dramatics and focus on showcasing the actual handiwork and detail that is truly burdang Taal.