The Rise of the Modern Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana and Where To Buy for your next Special Event
Looking to get a Barong or a Terno for a upcoming wedding? Or perhaps you want to stand out and represent your culture at a big event?
It is no surprise that Barong and Filipiniana fashion has come to the spotlight in the recent years and with it the evolution in quality and design.
With the rise of Filipino culture in mainstream media, celebrities and influencers are walking up to red carpets and podiums rocking traditional Filipino-wear to represent their roots. This increase in popularity has been putting Filipino style fashion and culture in the spotlight and we’re loving all the modern spins new designers are putting on them.
But what exactly is traditional Filipino clothing and where can you get them? We round up our favorite looks from our favorite retailers to bring you a comprehensive guide to what and where to buy for your next event.
But first, let’s breakdown the different traditional garments.
The Barong Tagalog is the national dress and the common formal attire in Filipino Culture. It is a long sleeve embroidered shirt that is usually made of plant fibers which are commonly Pineapple or Abaca. The design has evolved from a simple shirt design (baro meaning shirt or clothes in Tagalog) with Spanish and Christian, and later American influence, into the modern design today. Designs are made more intricate with a symmetrical or asymmetrical embroidery in the front of shirt. Although generally worn by Men it can also be worn by Women.
Filipiniana is a catchall term used for articles of clothing worn by Filipino Women.
The Baro’t saya (or baro at saya) is the commonly known traditional dress worn by women. As the name suggests, it is a simple attire that is made up of a blouse and a skirt. The fancier or more formal versions can also be a one piece ensemble and is also known as a Maria Clara or terno. But as with the Barong Tagalog, western influence has evolved the design where modern iteration of it is made up of 4 distinct parts:
Blouse (baro or camisa)
Skirt (saya or falda)
Kerchief worn over the shoulders (pañuelo, fichu, or alampay)
a short rectangular cloth worn over the skirt (the tapis or patadyong)
Where to buy Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana?
We listed down some of our favorite stores that sell and design traditional Filipino clothing.
Vinta Gallery
A Toronto based shop that ships worldwide. With a great design catalog to make sure there’s a piece for every style, they’ve also been known to partner up with Nike and other brands to celebrate FAHM (with notable guest wearing custom shirts and dresses).
Website: https://vintagallery.com/
Narra Studio
Founded by Katte Geneta, a Filipino American artist and museum director, who upon chance conversation with a traditional Kalinga weaver started Narra Studio. They are culturally conscious from supply chain to customers, and make sure to support their artists and designers. They offer more than clothing and have a collection of traditional curated fabrics and accessories.
Website: https://narrastudio.com/
Noble Creations
An up and coming family-owned shop based in Garden Grove, California, Noble Creations’ collection focuses on embroidered products made and designed in the family’s hometown in Lumban, Laguna.
Website: https://noblecreationsonline.com/
Instagram: @noblecreationsonline
Pineapple Industries
A NYC-based one-stop shop for all your custom tailored barong needs, Pineapple Industries was established in 2017. They are a full service made-to measure custom barong brand that caters to everyone regardless of gender, gender identification, and gender expression. They ship internationally and can even do contactless and in-person measuring with free alterations.
Website: https://pineappleind.com/
Barong Warehouse
Established in 1997, Barong Warehouse holds one of the large selections of Barongs and Filipinianas we’ve ever seen. Their collection includes formal wear, everyday, big & tall, casual, wedding attire, and are sure to have anything and everything you’d look for, design wise. They have offer international shipping with a toll free number you can contact them directly.
Written by Julian Russel Yu Noche
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