Jo Ann Bitagcol Marks 30 Years in Fashion With Thank You, Universe

Three decades after launching her career in Philippine fashion, model-turned-designer Jo Ann Bitagcol reflects on her creative journey with her latest collection, Thank You, Universe.

For Jo Ann Bitagcol, building her eponymous brand Bitagcol isn’t just the product of a single craft, but the culmination of three decades of experience as a model, photographer, artist, and fashion designer. Thirty years after first stepping into the Philippine fashion scene, she recently unveiled Thank You, Universe, a persona collection that celebrates gratitude and the journey that brought her here.

Like many of her past collections, Thank You, Universe takes inspiration from Philippine history and culture. The collection revisits Gino Gonzales‘ archive of vintage Filipino garments, continuing Bitagcol’s long-running collaboration with the renowned scenographer that has produced signature prints for collections such as Baul, Terno, Maria Clara, and Baro. This time, she reimagines these familiar references through a more playful lens while staying rooted in Filipino identity.

Finding fresh ways to present Philippine history, culture, and heritage has always interested her. For the prints in her 30th anniversary collection, she wanted to explore new shapes, silhouettes, and figures. “Photographing our national wear or anything Filipino gave me a different life and another sense of direction. This collection is about thanking [and] honoring all forces of the universe, our industry, our culture, our country, and our ancestors for the gift of a beautiful life,” Bitagcol tells Vogue Philippines.

The collection also features Bitagcol’s signature boxy shirts, kamisas, sporty kimonos, robes, apron dresses, and sarong pants. New pieces, including the multiway wrap, lace undergarments, and bubble saya, offer more ways to put together a Bitagcol ensemble. “My new prints were adapted to our signature styles, but there are also some new pieces reimagined from past collections. Some of the prints were done in full color, covering a wide range of palettes. I was also inspired to create a set of black-and-white prints.”

Thank You, Universe also extends into art. The pop-up space on the second level of the Powerplant Mall is flanked by two gallery walls displaying Bitagcol’s colored and black-and-white silk prints, alongside limited-edition works that frame the Maria Clara and Baro in hyperrealistic forms.

With “Thank You, Universe,” Bitagcol reflects on the many stages of her career, from discovery and transformation to healing, grace, and becoming. But above all, after reaching this milestone, she hopes that people continue to believe that Bitagcol will always be open to possibilities and will keep its intentions right.