Filip+Inna: Tribal pride

Designer Tory Burch wears Cabili’s creations

In several posh areas of the United States, fashion arbiters are wearing T’boli-, Tausug- and Maranao-embellished ensembles. Thanks to the entrepreneurial efforts of Filipino designer Leonor “Len” Cabili. Her line of clothing, Filip+Inna has been making waves in Northern America and has fulfilled her dream of marrying business with the advocacy of promoting Filipino indigenous crafts. A graduate of Clothing Technology at the University of the Philippines, Cabili founded her company in 2011 and has since been presenting trunk shows in the United States. To Cabili, Filip+Inna is all about working with Filipino artisans, working with different tribal groups and in the process helping them earn a living using skills innate to their indigenous group.

“When I was thinking of a monicker for the brand, I knew I wanted a name that Filipinos could easily relate to and have some sense of ownership. Filip+Inna really stands for every Filipino and Filipina. It is quite daunting for the brand to carry such responsibility, but we try to keep it simple in our heads as we work on each piece of clothing — make the artisans and the client happy.

Filip+Inna’s mission is to create while also reviving — even preserving ancient traditions of the Philippines that are in danger of becoming lost. We work with many groups of talented artisans across the archipelago, giving them an opportunity to improve their livelihood. From our hands to yours, may the beauty, depth and integrity of each garment bring a deep appreciation for what is distinctly Filipino — distinctly Filip+Inna,” says Cabili.

Cabili often tells her clients that her company is the turtle in fashion. Whereas most clothes are quickly manufactured in the conveyor belt-run factories of China, Cabili’s clothes are painstakingly embroidered and beaded the old fashion way by our country’s indigenous folk. Filip+Inna encounters challenges every step of the way. Coordinating with the artisans, creating systems and aligning them with the tribal mindset is difficult in itself as there are different traditions to respect. There is also the challenge of dealing with distance — transporting the clothes from the lakes of Lanao to the tribal lands of South Cotabato, making sure they do not get soiled along the way. “A piece of clothing literally travels hundreds, if not thousands, of miles before it reaches completion,” Cabili explains.

The effort is clearly paying off. Designer Tory Burch is one of the fashion mavens who wear Cabili’s creations. In the works are plans to set up bricks-and-mortar stores abroad.

Ever the nationalistic artist, Cabili shares, “I would always say ‘our culture is our fingerprint,’ it is what defines us and we should have more of it in our everyday lives. We need to preserve it then take inspiration from it to keep it alive.”

(To learn more about Filip+Inna, visit www.filipinna.com or Like Filip+Inna on Facebook.)