California Apparel News

“Kumusta ka” is how you say hello in Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, and you can try it out during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month when indigenous fashion and home accessories from the Philippines enjoy a rare spotlight as Los Angeles–based brand KINdom presents the Weaving Stories & Dreams Tour, which stops in Los Angeles May 10–14.

Indigenous Filipina artisans, who worked with the Christian Louboutin label, will demonstrate their traditional crafts. Appearing on the tour are Evelinda Otong-Hamja, a fourth-generation Master Weaver from the Yakan indigenous community; Myrna Pula, the Culture Bearer Storyteller of the Tboli people; and Virgie Nicodemus, Cultural Expert and Advocate of Philippine indigenous groups and crafts. The two aforementioned artisans were recently featured in the April 2024 issue of Vogue Philippines and will also share origin stories and ancient folk tales.

“We’re making ancient craftwork new, infusing it into something relevant for today,” said Claire Powers, founder of KINdom. “Indigenous people, being stewards of the Earth for generations and taking care of 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity, have an intimate connection with their craft that machinery and mass production do not have. With the Weaving Stories & Dreams Tour, I want to show and develop a direct connection between the maker, the product and the consumer.

“As a Filipina,” she added, “I don’t want these indigenous craftsmans to disappear as they are currently threatened with a new generation who would rather assimilate into modern society instead of learning and preserving these ancient techniques. I want my child and future generations to see and feel these ancestral works, that they are alive and well and not just in a museum.”

For more information or for interest in collaborating with the artisans or with KINdom, contact info@kindomshop.com.