Indigenous Materials + Contemporary Design
Moda Mindanao
The Mindanaw Times has an article that asks the question: “Can indigenous wear be fashionable?”
The answer is a definite yes! Moda Mindanaw, a fashion design competition among young Mindanao designers using indigenous fibers woven by Davao women, is the featured example of what good design can do with indigenous materials. The hybrid designs are clear examples of what happens when designers meet up with local people to create the new and unexpected.
From the Mindanaw Times:
Oca Casaysay, chair of Moda Mindanaw, has this to say: “I am not a fashion designer and I would be the last person to declare myself fashionable. I am doing this to showcase indigenous Davao fibers - abaca, banana, and durian. Yes, our number one export, the banana, can also be turned into a cloth and fashioned into a dress! And so is our beloved durian. It is not just a lamp or a home accessory, durian can also be part of your formal gown or street wear. So this is not just about making a fashion statement in the social sense, it is also very much about making a political and economic statement.”
For this, Oca works with the women of KATAKUS or Kababayen-an Alang sa Teknolohiya nga Haum sa Kinaiyahan ug Kauswagan (Empowering Women through Appropriate Technology in Harmony with the Environment) who have pioneered the production of banana and durian fiber and created various uses for them that have proven to be marketable internationally…
“KATAKUS works with indigenous and marginalized rural women. Our livelihood projects are not just about economic empowerment, it is also about the political transformation of women who used to be dependent on the men in their lives. By creating something beautiful and of value out of waste, such as durian husks, they do not only earn their own income, they also gain self-confidence and become empowered to make their own decisions,” shared Betty.
We may not see a Prada creation made of durian or banana cloth in the runways of Paris or Milan anytime soon, but we can definitely be proud of our Davao women weavers who create these beautiful fibers out of discarded materials and our Mindanao fashion designers who bravely defy convention and challenge Western-dictated fashion. They are our warriors in the brewing Mindanao fashion revolution.
(Photos courtesy of Paul Borromeo)
