Photographed by Kieran Punay for the July 2024 Issue of Vogue Philippines.
In a Vogue Philippines exclusive, Francis Libiran shares his inspirations for the attire Filipino athletes will wear at the Paris Olympics.
The countdown to the Paris summer games is marked by the passing of a torch. Earlier in May, the Olympic flame had reached the ports of Marseille from Greece, where it was lit by the sun’s rays in a ceremony held in Olympia, just as it’s been done for centuries. Since then, it has been passed hand-in-hand in relay all through France over the past two months, and by now, it should have reached the town of Reims before crossing over to Lille. The route will culminate in Paris on July 26, igniting the start of the 2024 Olympics.
The opening parade will cruise along the Seine, with at least 80 boats assigned to each national delegation. These boats will wind slowly down the river on a six-kilometer route from Pont d’Austerlitz to Pont d’léna, where the athletes will disembark for the final ceremony held in the Trocadéro Plaza beneath the looming shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
Along the crowded Seine river, the Philippine team is already set to make an entrance with added flair, wearing no less than celebrated Filipino designer Francis Libiran. Their Olympic attire consists of a barong affixed with a detachable sling. With embroidered light rays extending over and across, the name he chose to give his design is exactly that: “Sinag.”
In the early stages of conceptualizing, he considered the logistics of it all, making sure that the athletes shine even from afar. “The moment I was commissioned by the Philippine Olympic Committee, headed by its president Hon. Abraham N. Tolentino, I started thinking about how we could stand out among the hundreds of other athletes who [will] be part of the parade,” he explains. “I immediately thought of the vibrant colors of our very own Philippine flag.”
Within the design, Libiran layered elements with intention, all to commemorate this one unfolding moment. The designer blends the French tricolore motif with the Philippine flag’s sun rays, and then pairs the traditional barong with a contemporary sling; itself a juxtaposition in material: light and airy piña-jusi fabric sourced from Kalibo, Aklan, versus crisp, paper-like silk organdy, chosen to evoke the look and feeling of armor when worn on the body.
“To make a visual impact for the Philippine Team, I created a wearable and detachable sling-style armor with a fully embroidered design of the Philippine flag, bursting on a background of red and blue,” he explains. “The colors of the strap that are [affixed] to the detachable and wearable sling armor pay tribute to the colors of the national flag of France, the host country of the Olympic Games.”
And Libiran didn’t end on the Philippine flag in referencing the country’s rich cultural heritage and its design. He adds, “The sun rays also feature the Pintados-inspired warrior pattern, which symbolizes bravery and fierceness in battle.”
The design choice adds another dimension to his concept of armor, imbuing the attire with meaning that strikes close to home. From the sling, he says, the finely embroidered geometric lines also make their way up to the collar of each barong for added style.
“I consider our athletes as heroes, and that’s why it was crucial for me to make sure that they shine and stand out on the opening day of the Olympic Games.”
When asked why he decided on a traditional barong for the opening ceremony, Libiran was quick to respond: “What better way to represent the Philippines in an international gathering of world athletes than our very own Barong Pilipino?”
“The year 2024 marks the 100th year of the Philippines participating in the Olympic Games,” he continues. Since then, the country has amassed a total of 14 medals: eight bronze, five silver—and after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s participation in the 2020 Tokyo summer games—one gold. This year, many of the athletes’ dedication to vying for gold is backed not only by an innate competitive spirit but also a longing to hold up the country’s streak.
On this grand world stage, the Filipino athletes, in his barong, are warriors. Or more accurately put, “I consider our athletes as heroes,” he says. “And that’s why it was crucial for me to make sure that they shine and stand out on the opening day of the Olympic Games.”
For Libiran, the task at hand was simple enough: to use his clothes to give their wearers just that bit more of encouragement, just that bit more of fight.
