BAYO : Proudly Philippine-made

Made in the Philippines

By Apples Aberin-Sadhwani, contributor
Inquirer News Service

IF YOU'VE had the chance to shop in other parts of the world, you might have noticed that most of the articles of clothing you've bought from stores like Gap, Old Navy, Marks and Spencer's have been made in Asia. The labels might read "made in Thailand," "made in China," "made in Indonesia" and also "made in the Philippines." Unknown to many, the Asian region is a major market representing more than half of the world exports in clothing and textile.

Realizing this, the Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines (CONGEP) and the Department of Trade and Industry organized Source It, the first-ever integrated clothing and textile fair that aimed to be a one-stop apparel industry event at the World Trade Center in Manila.

Top retail brands such as Bench, Bayo, Plains and Prints, T Salvador and Sari-Sari showed their support by participating in the trade fair and presenting collections in a fashion show entitled "The Philippine Retailers Buyers Show 2003."

The show reinforced what our country, although beset with seemingly insurmountable problems such as a rising crime rate, protracted economic crisis and tiresome political infighting, has to offer in terms of vision, creativity and ingenuity.

Directed by Jackie C. Aquino and participated in by Manila's top models, the fashion show opened with a collection from Bayo. Known for its ads and billboards featuring home-grown world-class talent Lea Salonga and its tag line "Filipino and Proud," Bayo featured preppy to sporty apparel in solid colors like red, navy, white, black and khaki. Hip hooded jackets were predominant, as were stretch dark denims.

Undeniably one of the most popular brands and a trailblazer in local retail, Bench presented casual, young clothing for men and women. Female models donned hip, colorful tops matched with different shades of denim pants while male models wore an assortment of casual clothes such as nylon parkas, cotton hooded jackets, polo shirts and blue jeans. Also featured was the Bench underwear collection worn by shapely models in eye-popping tight jeans with open buttons and zippers. As a welcome contrast, Bench also showcased pretty floral skirts that are very fashionable this spring.

Thus far, Bench has aggressively branched out to China and the Middle East, proving that there is a world market for local brands.

Plains and Prints presented a subtly sexy and ultra-feminine line of clothing dominated by jersey tops, pants, skirts and dresses in bright red. Summery pedal pushers and gauzy white polo shirts and dresses were also aplenty.

Image model Gretchen Barretto was in part responsible for creating an immediate brand recall for Plains and Prints. But an aggressive marketing scheme plus good quality products further guarantees its success. The company is now cautiously studying the international market in the hopes of eventually opening franchises in other parts of the world.

T Salvador may not be as popular or visible as the other brands featured in the show, but the collection of shawls, stoles and wraps that were showcased were just as good. Models wore the soft, diaphanous fabrics draped artfully or slung casually around their bodies. The products, which came in various colors like pale pink and celadon or lime green were fashioned into skirts, halters, ponchos, capes and the like.

Finally, style-setter Sari-Sari took center stage to present a fun, ingenious, unique, sometimes tongue-in-cheek collection. A part of the collection had distinct Filipino touches. A denim long gown had butterfly sleeves made of the lowly but colorful bayong (market bag) while bustiers made of indigenous materials were interestingly matched with printed long skirts. Sari-Sari's highly creative team has always been known for introducing innovative concepts to the local market. And through it all, it has managed to retain a uniquely Filipino look and flavor. It has successfully opened a store in New York.

Most of the brands featured in the fashion show were possibly at par with their foreign counterparts. And as proven by the likes of Bench and Sari-Sari, there is room in the international market for well-developed local brands.

With the collaboration between the government and the private sector, it is hoped more deserving brands will get the exposure they need.

(E-mail the author at apsadvice@hotmail.com)