Iloilo has the potential to emerge as
a major regional destination for hand-loom and hand-woven textiles and apparels
as well as other niche products. Iloilo
produces some of the country’s finest Hablon and Patadyong with well-established
and professional clusters and a longstanding tradition of hand-loom weaving.
The annual Indigenous Fiber Fashion
Fair organized by the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism, the
Department of Tourism Regional Office and SM City Iloilo has brought unique
opportunities to explore hand-loom weaving by sourcing in a new and innovative
way. The organizers see this program as
potentially an incubator for re-introducing and re-educating the Ilonggos of our
local fabrics, finding mainstream consumers that purchase our local fabrics and
would like to see that interest extend after the event.
Slowly, Iloilo has emerged favorite
domestic and regional destination for handloom and hand-woven textiles and
apparels. Homes and innovative weaving centers for spinning and weaving
shelters a work force that has been producing fabrics that are highly
sought-after.
Though the handloom sector is
relatively smaller, in terms of organization and scale, many weaving groups are
still challenged by the lack of product design and marketing skills and the
lack of access to domestic, regional and international markets. Limited institutional
support is also a challenge for some of the groups.
There is a need for our governments to
allocate more funds to be used to support existing handloom clusters to enhance
their productivity, product quality and design. There is also a need for collaboration
with relevant partners, as well as with leading institutions to help weaving
provinces and their communities to venture into new markets.
While Iloilo has a strong base of
embroidery and beading artisans and painters, boasting of an innovative range
of craft and textile-based products with embroidered or beaded surface
ornamentation or fabric painting present an opportunity for the development of
niche high value products. Enabling value addition would help them to transform
Iloilo’s hablon and patadyong into a high-value premium product.
With a renewed emphasis on ethnic
chic, the passion and interest nowadays is actually visiting and buying
directly from the weavers. Many designers and hand-loom fabric advocates are
going to Miagao, Oton, Badiangan, Duenas and Igbaras to interact and see
weavers at work and have the chance to browse the shelves piled high with colorful
neatly folded fabrics that will be turned into fashionable dresses, shawls,
table cloths, bed covers and curtains.
The Indigenous Fiber Fashion Fair is
not just a place to market our hand-loomed products, but also a platform to
celebrate weaving history in a unique way by showcasing the works of ordinary
and extraordinary weavers of Iloilo, promoting the exploration of knowledge and
ideas on weaving and providing an avenue for viewing and appreciation.
The 11th Indigenous Fiber Fashion Fair
will open on August 24 (Friday) and features MARC ARNEL GACHO for PRECIOSA at 5:30
p.m. ANYAG at 6:30 p.m. will have FRIETZ VON PAMPLONA.
August 25 (Saturday) with HABOL
MIAGAOWANON featuring the candidates of Little Miss Hablon and the ladies of
Lin-ay sang Hablon of the municipality of Miagao at 5:00 p.m. and KEVIN
HIBALLES for HABLON MODA at 6:30 p.m.
August 26 (Sunday) will feature the
top student designers from the BS Fashion Design and Merchandising of Iloilo
Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) for HABOL ANINIPAY with Fritz
Caancan, Johnrey Cayanan, Rheuvien Palmes, Migz Saracho, Matt Yeu, Annie
Canonaso, Lorlor Aguilar, Paul Encio and Jay Elabra at 5:00 p.m. and closing
the event is DARYL AMAR for PRIMA at 6:30 p.m.
The annual Indigenous Fiber Fashion
Fair is organized by the Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office, Department of
Tourism and SM City Iloilo and also brought to you by the municipalities of
Miagao, Oton, Badiangan, Igbaras and Duenas with the Fashion and Design
Merchandising Department of ISAT-University, the Local Economic Development and
Investment Promotions Office, John Montinola, Iloilo Models Guild (IMG), RCLS,
and The Daily Guardian.
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