The pandemic has forced nearly everyone to make a change, to shift into what works in the current situation.
When flamboyant parties and other affairs were put on hold, Iloilo-born fashion designer G Magalona had to transform her label, G Magalona Couture, which customized gowns and attires for her patrons, into one that creates unique, Filipinina-themed hand-painted bayongs.
During the lockdown, she immediately explored other possible projects, and found herself surrounded with bayongs, which her mother bought on the road in the municipality of San Marcelino.
“My mom, who is also a designer and artist, encouraged me to try painting on the bayong, since she knew that I really loved doing it ever since I was a child,” recalled Magalona, an alumna of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
“It felt like I was rediscovering old talents to create new opportunities.”
She delicately hand-painted each tote with elements reminiscent of the country’s Spanish colonial past, to include images of the traditional Filipina ala Maria Clara in her elegant traje de mestiza, as well as vibrant landscapes highlighting the bahay na bato and Baroque churches. She likewise reimagined 18th-century Rococo romantic paintings.
Much to her surprise, the first five pieces she posted on social media were instantly sold out. All of a sudden, commissions and requests for various personalized designs started to pour in.
Through her collection, the artist-fashion designer wishes to elevate the existing craftsmanship of the bayong and use it as a canvas to further showcase the rich Philippine tradition. “It promotes native handicrafts and eco-friendly fashion. But more importantly, it echoes the statement mahalin ang sariling atin,” enthused Magalona.
“I want to emphasize that it is a beautiful piece made with so much love and effort. I don’t want it to be just another souvenir from our country. It is something we could use and more importantly, be proud of.”
Currently based in Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales, Magalona is eyeing on expanding her collection with new designs that will contribute to making the local tote a quintessential piece.
She continues to accept custom artworks and specialized couture pieces under her label. She has likewise completely immersed herself in her love for painting as she found her way back to canvasses. Her pieces are showcased on her Facebook (G Paris Magalona) and Instagram (@gistheheiress and g.magalona.couture) accounts.