We radiate with pride in being Filipino women. In our culture, there is much to be proud of – our early practices of self-sufficiency, roots in cultivating nature, and a culture of elegant dressing, to name a few. As a homegrown brand, we like to represent this in the best way we know how to – fashion! With our pieces, we take you through the stories of our rich culture – our history embedded in textile and thread. 

Here are the ways in which we embrace our Filipino culture through clothing:

Getting Inspiration from Ancient Aesthetics

Our Filipina ancestors, albeit unafraid to get their hands dirty at work, knew the value of dressing well. It’s no wonder why we love to modernize classic pieces like the camisa, saya, and patadyong – there is just so much grace, elegance, and sophistication in them that represent the authentic Filipina. In addition, the aesthetics are practical – they still allow ample movement with their cuts and breathable fabrics.

Learning Traditional Crafts

There are hundreds of unique crafts that can be found all over the Philippines, even in the quiet, undiscovered corners. We particularly love handweaving, because it allows us to upcycle fabric offcuts into intricate patterns. Our latest collections are prime examples of using ancestral crafts in fashion, as a lot of our pieces are made in collaboration with small weaving communities all over the country. The traditions are very much worth preserving for their beauty, connection to our identity, and inherent sustainability.

Supporting Local Communities

The FIlipina has always held a sense of “bayanihan.” This can be practiced today in terms of the businesses and industries you choose to support. Bayo partners up with local communities for labor and local farmers for raw materials as these people definitely need more business. At the end of the day, it benefits us and the consumer, as we receive slowly and mindfully-produced products that were made to last a lifetime.

Patronizing Local Materials

It’s no secret that our country is blessed with rich biodiversity, and as such, the most amazing natural materials. Our land can grow the finest fibres (in fact, you can read about the amazing Philippine cotton variety here). Bayo takes part of the effort in reviving the use of these materials, because the industry has been on a steady decline. To truly embrace our culture with fashion, we must patronise the resources that come from it.

Supporting Sustainable

One of the greatest lessons we’ve learned on our sustainability journey is that in order to create a greener world, we should look back to our roots for answers. Cultural practices are inherently sustainable (processes such as handweaving and embroidery create little to no carbon emissions) and therefore, must be preserved. When we support handmade and upcycled products, we keep waste away from polluting our backyard. At the end of the day, it’s our own countrymen and country that benefits from sustainability.