 Filipinos, while joyously embracing Western culture, have adorned Western clothing with the edge of its Asian and ethnic roots.
While not a lot of Filipinos adhere to this fashion style, there is definitely a niche for those who are very Makabayan (nationalistic) and who embrace the fashion sense of Grace Nono, Cynthia Alexander, and Joey Ayala wholeheartedly.
Because of this, Philippine mall chains, like the industry bullwark SM, have seen the need to add a Filipiniana section to their department stores.
An example of these rare stores is the Pinqtreasures group of stores, owned by Pinky Tan. Pinqtreasures carries ethnic bags, accessories, and even jewelry. Pinqtreasures in Robinson’s Galleria has the entire line of bags, shawls and jewelry, while other branches carry only silver jewelry.
Pinqtreasures is home, not only to beautiful bags, but also to exquisite shawls, ethnic earrings, and other exotic accessories. It’s indeed a nonconformist woman’s paradise.
Pinqtreasures, being a brand that focuses on native and ethnic fashion, also showcases its wares with an association of Philippine-centric stores collectively known under the brand name Kultura.
Kultura is an affiliation of Filipino merchants who specialize in Philippine wear and souvenir items. They display their wares in a stylish boutique that occupies a sizable space in SM Makati.
Kultura showcases Filipiniana wear: the traditional Filipino garb of the Baro’t Saya, Barong Tagalog; to souvenir items from the snakeskin and Capiz shell picture frames, to weavework and even Capiz shell boxes, Capiz shell vases, to even candles, kitchenwares, Sigay lanterns, shell-encrusted clocks and other decor, even to dolls in traditional Filipino costume.
If you’re looking for things you can wear on a daily basis, Kultura also carries souvenir shirts from all over the Philippine Islands, interesting-looking cloth and even buntal bags, the material of which come from the inner fibers of the palm tree.
There are needlework bags, shawls and ponchos, even crocheted swimwear, and there are slippers: from leather to banig-lined. (Banig is a material made out of dried palm fronds woven together.) There are also wicker hampers, which look pretty interesting because the weave and the texture look different. Kultura even has an eye-catching array of Tabacalera cigars. And who could forget about the Filipino party staple: the Magic Sing? When you enter SM Makati’s branch of Kultura, you’ll be greeted by a salesperson belting his vocal chords out on the Magic Sing he’s selling.
If a woman wants to achieve an elegant look but wants to accentuate it with an exotic flavor, an ethnic-inspired piece, like a pair of ethnic chandelier earrings, or a bead necklace, would surely give an edgy feel to the outfit. Ethnic items create drama to an otherwise sterile look. Not only that, since ethnic items catch the eye and pique the interest, these become great conversation pieces. If you’re on a lunch break and your earrings catch your lunch mate’s eyes, that’s a good way to break the monotony of work-related conversations.
Enhancing your home with ethnic items from a Filipiniana boutique like Kultura would make it more elegant. Filipino designer housewares, after all, are all about the marriage of functionality and style. If you happen to like a minimalist look for your house’s interior design, adding Filipiniana items would make your home look more interesting, and the artistry would speak of taste.
Beyond the fashion, nationalism and embracing one’s roots are at the heart of stores like Kultura and Pinqtreasures. Like its definition, Kultura being the Filipino word for culture. Kultura is one of the stores that still dare to showcase Philippine culture amidst the growing globalism. These are only two of the dying breed of boutiques and stores that dare to brandish our Filipino heritage; and they do it with flair and panache. Truly, this is Filipino culture in the pinnacle of its wearability and functionality.
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