'Filipiniana lives forever!': Designer Barge Ramos revitalizes the Barong Tagalog
MANILA, Philippines — As the foremost proponent of the Barong Tagalog, every discerning fashionista prefers Barge Ramos for his sophisticated designs.
His latest collection, called “Filipinesque,” was showcased at “Fashion Forte XVII,” the brainchild of designer-producer Nardie Presa.
With perennial director, Audie Espino, “Fashion Forte” has found a home in Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria at the Ortigas Center. Last June 29, newbie designers displayed their efforts with Ramos serving as the fitting finale.
The beloved designer’s battle cry? “Filipiniana lives forever!”
“I thought of the word ‘Filipinesque’ when I was doing my collection for ‘Fashion Forte’ with a Filipino inspiration. I used handwoven fabrics from Mindanao, but giving the fabrics a contemporary feeling by mixing them with abstract batik hand-painting and re-inventing the Barong Tagalog in a loose silhouette and wider sleeves with no cuffs,” revealed Ramos.
Here, the acclaimed designer shares his thoughts on the Barong Tagalog, the traditional garment of Filipinos, in a postmodern world:
What materials did you use and where did you source them?
The fabrics are a mix of sheer organdy, handwoven textiles from the Cordilleras and Mindanao, with handwoven pinya in black and black, pleated jusi fabric. My desire to pit texture against texture and challenge visual effects
What are the challenges of procuring them and what remedies would you recommend?
There are always challenges to a designer who’s in need of presenting new options over the traditional. There are no shortcuts. One has to be patient in gathering materials and different textures.
What made you say yes to Fashion Forte, Nardie Presa and Audie Espino?
For the longest time, Nardie Presa has been asking me to be the finale of his "Fashion Forte" series. When our mutual friend Edgar Madamba passed away recently, I decided to say yes to Nardie. There are so many things I still want to accomplish, and one never knows when his journey ends. Audie himself was surprised because since Philippine Fashion Week, which he and his brother Joey started, I’ve turned down a lot of their letters.
Amid the onslaught of avant-garde interpretations, like what's happening to the Terno, how should the Barong Tagalog retain its dignified identity?
The Barong Tagalog is not as easy to create as it looks. The cut and proportion are crucial, as also the collar construction which frames the face. I introduced the “double collar” for this Barong collection, and the loose silhouette with wider sleeves that are folded and buttoned at the wrist.
Always with respect to tradition and culture, but with a keen eye for innovative details, the designer strikes a delicate balance.
The words of Josie Natori keep coming back to me. Decades ago in New York, I sat in her office and she showed me a simple chemise. “It’s a basic chemise,” I said. “Yes,” she said, “but when you design or re-design something, you make it look like it’s the first time it’s being invented.”
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