Model based on Kemal Alay of Perfetto Model Management, designer and creative director Jann Bungcaras. Editorial artwork by Cherokee Hernandez, courtesy of Jann Bungcaras
The transition from childhood to adulthood is often marked by both physical departure from home and an emotional sense of emptiness.
Cebu-based designer Jann Bungcaras explores these themes in fashion with his submission into the Triathlon de la Mode Éthique, titled “Empty Nest.” This parure, made from repurposed sportswear, symbolizes the shift from childhood to adulthood, highlighting both physical departure and emotional voids. By using his father’s old basketball shorts and his own worn active shirt, Bungcaras weaves a subtle narrative of familial bonds and self-discovery.
As individuals move away from the comforts of their early years, they face the daunting task of carving out their own paths, a process that can leave them feeling adrift and disconnected. This nuanced experience of leaving behind what is familiar and stepping into a new phase of life is deeply personal, yet universally relatable. “Empty Nest” highlights enduring connections despite differences and distances, and Bungcaras presents a fresh perspective on upcycled clothing and sustainability through a blend of fashion and sculpture.
The 2024 Triathlon de la Mode Éthique in Paris, held alongside the Olympics and exhibited in Saint-Ouen, selected its parures with a mission to promote eco-conscious fashion by challenging designers to create wearable art from discarded materials and emphasize environmental responsibility through cultural storytelling.
Below, find designer Jann Bungcaras’s insight and process behind his entry into the Triathlon de la Mode Éthique in his own words, lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
The name “Empty Nest” has multiple layers of meaning. Can you elaborate on why you chose this title and how it relates to the personal story of your father?
Aside from its direct meaning, which is to leave one’s childhood home to pave or to create one’s own path, I chose “Empty Nest” as the title of my parure because of its homonymic tendency to sound like “Emptiness.” [It] means a state of not containing or feeling anything. Both are inevitable and would come into our lives one of these days or every once in a while since children can still come home and feeling empty is recurring.
Emotional connection is key when it comes to assuring that our designs and creations would still create a positive impact on the environment in addition to their circular materiality and processes after their purchase. Creating sentimental value and conversation between my pieces and my clients would result in them keeping our works until their end-of-life, or would hand them to people who agree or experience similar connections or have them restyled instead of throwing them away when they find no use of the product anymore. The goal is not just to make sure our garments and creations are made from discarded materials, but to keep them from contributing negatively to the environment.
With this said, upon conceptualizing the parure I have to create for the Triathlon de la Mode Éthique in which we were tasked to create a wearable artwork from discarded and damaged sports materials, I have to make sure that it is something that does not just resonates with me but is a narrative that almost everyone can relate to- everyone was once a child and everyone must grow up and leave the comfort of childhood home.
Personally, I chose the title because it is what we are experiencing firsthand as a family, as all three of us Bungcaras children are paving our own paths, making our childhood home in Southern Leyte feel like an empty nest. The homonym “emptiness” is what I often feel when I am surrounded by family since I feel like they are unsupportive of my career path as an artist and growing up I always felt like I was difficult to be understood by them and I can only truly express myself through my artwork or in my solitude.
The Empty Nest Parure showcases a father bird made from my father’s damaged basketball jersey shorts caring for his son bird made from my stained active shirt in front and a grown up version of that same bird at the back. If we base it to my own conceptualisation; it would mean that the connection between my father and I- my talent and love of the arts coming from him- can only be seen once our differences are destroyed and then turned into something else- in this case a scene of familial birds. A story about how this scene relates to my father is that like his father bird counterpart in my parure, he tried to connect with me as a child by drawing me pictures I truly admire—mermaids, elves, fairies, and birds—but despite this act of connection our blaring differences made me discouraged to open up to him more since I already knew from the age of three that I am a feminine homosexual before even understanding the terminologies and my father is the picture of masculine man and he was a professional basketball player after all. Growing up, I built walls around him, making us farther but I am thankful that despite our obvious and magnanimous contrasts we have one thing in common aside from blood and that is our love for the arts.
Your work seems to bridge the gap between fashion and sculpture. How do you view the relationship between these two art forms in your designs?
I keep a painting of an unknown Japanese artist in my bedroom to remind me of my greatest fear: oblivion. Although it is inevitable since in 4 billion years our solitary sun will devour our own planet deeming all our legacies, inventions, works, art, accomplishments and laws minute as they all burn into dust; there is still contentment in knowing that for awhile one left a mark and made a name for oneself.
Sculptures have this sense of temporary permanence that I always yearn for- not just for my work but also for my physical self.
Scientific paper can be disproven, wrong, burnt and stolen while sculptures are dependent to their creator’s signature, mood, feeling, touch, story to tell and could last longer than pieces of paper. When looking through the lenses of a historian, sculptures are the ones that are telling of the societal norms, depictions of beauty and perfection and characters of a certain civilisation- and despite their wear-and-tear, the intentional message and the name of the sculptor is relayed and engraved throughout even after their death.
We wanted the same effect to the clothes we design and create; for they are more than just for wearing. Each of our garments is unapologetically created from discarded and damaged materials that we personally rescued from landfills and recycling facilities near my village which in itself is already a statement that demands to be displayed in addition to the narration we are trying to portray and the emotional connection we are trying to establish.
When unworn, we wanted our clothes to have another purpose, and since the birth of our brand by the creation of our first garment- the Baobabs shirt, which we framed for awhile- we determined that they can be displayed as artworks awaiting to join their wearer, which is why we inject other forms of art such as felting (for the Baobabs shirt) and free-hand 3D mosaic for the Empty Nest parure to give this sense and understanding that it is more than just custom designer clothing anymore- but an art piece not deserving to be hidden away. We intentionally do this so the circular materiality will be talked about as well cause we know that one of the questions when it comes to art is always what they were made of, and hopefully will start planting seedlings to eliminate the stigma written around up-cycled clothing.
We also use elements of fabric sculpting to narrate the stories we wanted to tell or the feeling we wanted to radiate, especially when colours along the design colour theory is limited. We basically bridge other forms of art depending on what statement we will make.
Your piece tells a story of connection despite differences. How do you think this message resonates with the international audience at the Olympics?
The Olympics is a celebration of sportsmanship; as cultural, religious and governmental differences were set aside by each participating nation for the pursuit of seeking the champions of a respective sport while also giving us all a glimpse of how a world with no borders, greed and arguments must have looked like- the selfie the North and South Korean athletes took together while on the podium is a glimmer of hope that peace is possible.
The beauty of the Empty Nest Parure is that it can be interpreted in so many ways cause among all the Parures on display, it is the only one with key concrete features- two birds in the front and one bird at the back; and only the materials, my name and my country were included in the label.
So with this said, my viewers- who were mostly there for the Olympics and then later the Paralympics- can interpret the parure as what birds signify to them: it can be freedom, love, pursuit of their purpose or just a plain nature scene of caring birds. Art is always up for interpretation after all.
However, for intrigued viewers who would want to understand more about my piece and would unearth the narration behind the Empty Nest Parure and discover that it was about the invisible connection between my father and I that can only be seen once differences were destroyed, I still believe that they would still find a way to relate themselves to it, cause that was how I had conceptualised the piece during its creation- a collective realisation and experience. Everyone has elders or figures who they do not see eye-to-eye with but has contributed immensely to who they are today and would take a form of destruction or elimination just to see the similarities which even is a nod to the Olympics and Paralympics in themselves- the blurring of lines as we see all nations competing with each-other as one people.
I understand your assignment was to upcycle sports materials into a piece. How has your background in eco-sustainable and circular fashion influenced the creation of this particular piece?
Being a genuine eco-sustainable and circular fashion designer first-hand made me understand the gravity of the Triathlon de la Mode Éthique’s goal when it comes to upcycling sports materials for these, especially athletes’ uniforms, are usually one-time wear to the relevant event and are made from elastic materials predominantly composed of elastane, petroleum and nylon which are man-made pollutants and are harmful to the ozone layer when incinerated and difficult to recycle due to them interwoven with other materials for performance and durability; so the only ethical way to deal with them after no longer serving their purpose is through the circular system where they will be turned into other forms of garments or objects with different functions. The triathlon is alongside the Olympics and the Paralympics to push this ethical and circular agenda in addition to the celebration of different cultures and backgrounds of their participants through Universal Love.
With this understanding, I made sure that the Empty Nest parure is 100% made from discarded and damaged sportswear materials and goods that are already in their end-of-life; and that the only way forward for these materials is for them to be turned into something else. I also made sure that the parure is made through a closed-loop circular process by not injecting the piece with anything brand new throughout the production: the felting and interfacing were also cut-and-sew waste from previous works and the enclosures also came from damaged sports goods – namely, shoe laces from my father’s worn-out sneakers and elastics from the same damage jersey shorts.
The Empty Nest Parure is also not a one-time piece nor for one-time event only, as I designed it with versatility in mind and in subtle colours that can be paired or restyled magnanimously. One can opt to just wear the front or back piece or interchange the pieces altogether. One can also use them as other forms of accessories such as a fascinator or a belt; and the possibilities are endless depending on one’s creativity and style. And when unworn, the pieces can be displayed as wall artworks.
Overall, being an eco-sustainable and circular fashion designer urges me to prove that we should not just up-cycle or recycle discarded materials for the sake of commentary and movement; we should make sure that our works and end-results would create more of a positive impact towards the environment by assuring that they won’t end-up the same way their materials came from- the bin. There should be a sense of elevation and true circularity.
You mentioned that only 11 non-Parisians were chosen for this exhibit. As a designer, how do you feel representing the Philippines on a world stage?
During the first months or even the first year of the confirmation that I was chosen to represent the country for the Triathlon de la Mode Éthique by Redress Design Awards, I felt a sense of imposter syndrome due to the indifference I received from family when I told them about the news which is entirely my fault cause I should have explained the gravity of this honour further rather than be discouraged immediately.
The weight is on my shoulders as well cause I have to make my countrymen proud despite the event being unpopular in the country and are only known along echo-chambers of the eco-sustainable fashion movement.
During the conceptualisation process, although I wanted to convey the story and connection between my father and I, I wanted to inject elements of Filipino culture in a very personal piece.
I did so by incorporating endemic birds in my hometown of Southern Leyte to be the metaphorical stars of my creation namely the Grass Strait which subconsciously due to my queer influenced looked like what would the Ibong Adarna would look like if they were real. There was also an incorporation of the country’s favourite sport- basketball and of-course the Filipino family dynamic.
I feel proud to be representing the Philippines at the triathlon and to be sharing our culture and stories through a queer-eyed bird’s point of view and hopefully to inspire other Filipino artists and business owners- new or veteran- to shift their practice into the eco-sustainable and circular route for it truly is the only way forward for a cleaner planet and knowing that our country has been the dumping site of “donated” goods from first-world countries. We should strive to be part of the solution rather than the problem; for, if I can create art from damaged basketball jersey shorts then imagine what other artists from different practices and expertise can do.
I am only a dreamer whose dreams are still out of reach but I am thankful to be taking small flights into the right direction and hopefully my participation at this prestigious event would encourage everyone- no matter how old or who they are- to never stop listening to their childhood selves and do small steps everyday to make this version of themselves proud. The reality of it all is that: we are all talented, we all have a calling but not every one of us were given the chance to shine- but shine we must.
Looking ahead, how do you think this experience at the Olympics will shape your future work and career as a designer?
My participation and representation of the Philippines at the Triathlon de la Mode Éthique taught me that fear is temporary and necessary in order to move forward.
When I found out I was the one chosen and that I will be creating a parure for the event, fear overcame me to the point that it took me months to conceptualise and start the piece and more months of imposter syndrome and depression after my artwork was shipped to Paris earlier this year. It took me awhile to share the news to friends and family as well.
Paris was always my dream and it took me this long to have another chance for my work to be recognised in a city that I can only fathom when my eyes are closed. I consider the triathlon my turning page- my chapter ender and beginner if you will. So I feared what would be the outcome of it: would it propel me forward or hold me back?
Now that it is unraveling before my eyes and the event is simultaneously existing in flying colours as I type the answer to this question; I can say that fear is a good feeling and it must not hinder us from taking actions towards our dreams and goals. The journey was uphill and against all odds; but we must not give up hope cause we are not doing this for the people who expected us to fail but to our younger selves who yearned to someday turn our sketches and ideas into reality.
So moving forward, I believe that the triathlon made me more courageous in pursuing opportunities that fear me as I continue creating artworks and designs made from discarded and damaged objects and materials with the hope that someday fashion will be part of the solution rather than the problem.
The triathlon also taught me to open up to my family as well and not be discouraged immediately when I do not get the reaction I expect when sharing news about my achievements. As my parure dictates, our worlds are different, and it must take destruction and reconstruction for us to understand and see eye-to-eye; cause at the moment they understood my participation, they were very supportive of my journey and were truly proud. Before this event, i thought my family was holding me back; but now I realised that they are just preparing me to fly.
