MANILA, Philippines – Looking to get into sustainable Filipino fashion but don’t quite know where to start? You’re in luck, since this proudly local artisans bazaar is coming back this August!
Now in its 7th year, lifestyle fair ArteFino returns from August 22 to 25 with the same vision of “serving as a launch pad for proudly Filipino products,” ranging from clothing, accessories, home decor, and more.
With the theme “Ka-PAMANA,” a play on the Filipino term for heritage, this renewed version of ArteFino’s 2018 campaign takes on a new meaning beyond its initial goal of spotlighting the significance of generational ties. In its 2024 run, the fair hopes to impart a legacy of innovation and artistry, all while paying tribute to tradition and culture.
“The focus remains the same,” ArteFino co-founder Marimel Francisco said. “But we are turning the spotlight on contemporary expressions that are rooted in our history. It’s essentially heritage, but not in an old-fashioned way.”
From wearable art to circular fashion, read through for what gems await you at ArteFino 2024.
ArteFino 2024 will see local artisans team up with notable Filipino personalities hailing from different age groups, disciplines, and backgrounds.
Attendees will be given the chance to shop exclusive pieces from a lineup of over 100 designers and brands, which include the likes of Neil & Marter, Bagoyan, Alegre by Techie Hagedorn, and Pinas Sadya, with personalities Tanya Yuson, Shaira Luna, Karen Davila, and Leni Robredo respectively among those tapped as muses to don their works.
At a press preview held at SoFA Design Institute on Thursday, August 1, The ArteFino team also provided guests with a glimpse into this year’s collections ahead of the four-day affair.
From striking statement pieces to elevated closet staples, each brand has its own unique spin on familiar frames and local materials. There are also callbacks to different types of cultural imagery, and how these could be integrated to potentially spice up one’s wardrobe.
Beyond names longtime visitors can recognize, ArteFino also welcomes a number of up-and-coming social entrepreneurs and designers to this year’s function. Every ArteFino merchant has been screened on the basis of their products’ Filipino sensibilities, their ethical and eco-conscious practices, as well as their work with local communities.
A new addition to ArteFino’s diverse range of local artisans, Follow Your Heart Bags is bringing their individually-made print, canvas, and embroidered pieces to the event.
“We help a community of young mothers, housewives, and lolas (grandmothers) who don’t get to work because of old age or some of them have to take care of their kids so they can’t leave the house,” Follow Your Heart Bags owner Anna shared to Rappler.
The brand’s initiatives extend beyond providing a sustainable livelihood to these women, as this also applies to the local weaves they source from Abra and Baguio: “So it’s not just our community [you get to support,] but the people we also support, are supported by [attendees’] purchases.”
Anna also takes pride in the nostalgic iconography embroidered onto their bags, from the solihiya weaves found in rattan furniture, to the tusok-tusok vendors and jeepney drivers that take center stage in her designs.
