Photographed by Artu Nepomuceno
Jaggy Glarino
“Fu Dalu”“Many Filipino crafts are rich in cultural meaning and symbolism. We are profoundly connected to our crafts, and there is a personal bond between us and the work we create.”
“Many Filipino crafts are rich in cultural meaning and symbolism. We are profoundly connected to our crafts, and there is a personal bond between us and the work we create.”
For his piece “Fu Dalu,” exhibited in Paris for Vogue Threads, designer Jaggy Glarino allows his imagination to take him back to the objects that line his childhood and a contemporary reimagining of Philippine tradition and craft.
In his work, Jaggy Glarino often references his childhood home. Furniture was decorated with the solihiya weave: a technique that has rattan intertwined to sunburst patterns. It became a central motif in his pieces when he grew into design. The designer relates, “Basketry is integral to the cultural identity of the Philippines, playing a significant role in the country’s economy, societal structure, and traditional rituals and ceremonies.”
His piece, titled “Fu Dalu” after the spirit of abacá, incorporates the fabric into a woven design to mimic traditional basket weaving techniques, “incorporating contemporary methods to blend these time-honored practices with modern design [and] ensuring their continued relevance today.”
Glarino used what he calls a “neo-barong material,” a blend of cotton and polyester. The barong is traditional formalwear typically worn by men and a national dress of the Philippines, typically woven from silk cocoon or piña and abaca fibers to a sheer, lightweight effect. His reimagining of the fabric is fashioned to a woven panel in a rippling silhouette, pinned up to a tubular silhouette reminiscent of the malong, a traditional tube-like garment meant to drape over the body.
“Fu Dalu” took Glarino over five days to create, and with the help of three artisans.
Vogue Threads is not the designer’s first time connecting to a global audience; he has worked in fashion in Dubai and, following his time at Central Saint Martins, presented his collections in London and Tokyo. One of his intentions as a designer is to uplift the traditional craft that comes out of these islands, communicated in every pattern, fold, and stitch.
“As a Filipino designer who has worked with local artisans, I can say that the uniqueness of our craft stems from the deep cultural significance of the techniques and designs we use,” the designer reflects. “We are profoundly connected to our crafts, and there is a personal bond between us and the work we create.”
All his work traces back to the spirited objects he grew up around in General Santos: solihiya furniture, the vibrancy of marketplaces and eateries, the blanket he curled up in as a child. “In many ways,” he says, “our crafts tell our personal stories.”
On its second anniversary, Vogue Philippines invites homegrown and global creatives to Vogue Threads, an experience that weaves Philippine culture, creativity, and community into the world. Its inaugural edition celebrates Filipino artistry and heritage, through an exhibit featuring the works of designers from the islands of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Photographer: Artu Nepomuceno. Art Director: Jann Pascua. Fashion Editor: David Milan. Production Designer: Riza Rosal. Producer: Anz Hizon, Bianca Zaragoza. Photography Assistants: Odan Juan, Lou Fajardo. Styling Assistants: KJ Villanueva, Miguel Rafael Timbol. Production Design Assistant: Christian Manlunas. PR Associate: Sophia Correa. Backdrop: Schmidli Backdrops.
