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Designer honors hometown, farmers with gown made of abaca

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ABS-CBN News Intern

<div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17217282936753-Composite.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Designer honors hometown, farmers with gown made of abaca"/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — A 22-year-old freelance fashion designer from Catanduanes, known as the abaca capital of the Philippines, highlighted the beauty of abaca fibers by turning them into an elegant Filipiniana gown to pay homage to the hardworking farmers in their hometown. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With pride, Julius Eric Cuison, showcased a traditional woven abaca in the making of the ‘La Cabugaonon’ gown instead of using a more typical textile.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Catanduanes-based designer shows support for the eco-friendly product material found in their town to use in upcycling fashion clothes. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>A ‘Trashion’ designer</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Since he was young, Cuison has been passionate about fashion design. When he was in high school, he was given a chance to train with a professional dressmaker, even if his only material at that time was a sack of rice as the fabric to create a gown. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cuison is dubbed a ‘trashion designer’ — a combination of trash and fashion — and uses recycled materials in making costumes.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">His talent in fashion design took him to the next step when he won in a dress-making competition in the province-wide Technolympics for two consecutive years. His burning passion for fashion design led him to make the decision to finally start being a freelance designer. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Sa freelancing po actually nag-start po ako last year. Third year po ako sa college nun, and naga-accept ako ng customized gowns for pageant to support my school finances,” Cuison said in an interview with ABS-CBN News. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“As a fresh grad po, nag-iipon po ako ng puhunan sa bago kong negosyo. Ipagpapatuloy ko rin po ang pagiging trashion designer ko — pagiging sustainable designer ko,” he added. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cuison recently graduated from college with a degree in Revised Ladderized Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology with a Major in Garments, Fashion and Design.</span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">His love for fashion design was truly undeniable when he chose a degree related to the hobby that he is excelling, successfully graduating with Latin honors.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/08/02/23/upcycling-among-possible-solutions-to-phs-solid-waste-crisis-denr"></a><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/08/02/23/upcycling-among-possible-solutions-to-phs-solid-waste-crisis-denr">READ: &#x27;Upcycling&#x27; among possible solutions to PH&#x27;s solid waste crisis — DENR</a></span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>Creation of ‘La Cabugaonon</strong></span><strong></strong><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>’</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Filipiniana gown ‘La Cabugaonon’ is deeply rooted in the culture of Cabugao, a barangay in the town of Bato, Catanduanes. The dedication and resilience of abacaleros — abaca workers — also became the main inspiration for Cuison&#x27;s incorporation of abaca materials in the making of his design. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Ang abaca po kasi, bukod sa matibay siya and very sustainable po, naglilikha po ng trabaho ang pag-support sa ganoong materials like sinusuportahan po namin ‘yung hanapbuhay ng mga abacaleros,” he shared. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Aside from abaca, he also used kak’ay shells and a fishing net painted in gold as a symbol of Barangay Cabugao’s abundance of different seafood, highlighting that fishing is one of the livelihoods in the barangay, along with paghag&#x27;ot, or abaca stripping. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It took him three weeks to finish the Filipiniana gown because it was his first time using abaca as a base. But his hard work paid off when his creation was worn by a Lakambini ng Abaca candidate, in line with the celebration of the Abaca Festival last May. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">To highlight the hardworking abacaleros in his barangay, Cuison said he wants to continue supporting them by using abaca fabric as his material in crafting his designs.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“As a designer po, gusto kong magbigay ng inspirasyon sa [ibang] mga designers na gumawa ng something na makabagong design using abaca,” he said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/10/23/pinoy-trashion-show-underscores-plight-of-sg-domestic-workers">READ: Pinoy ‘trashion’ show underscores the plight of domestic workers in Singapore</a></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The Filipiniana gown ‘La Cabugaonon’ is deeply rooted in the culture of Cabugao, a barangay in the town of Bato, Catanduanes.</p>

The Filipiniana gown ‘La Cabugaonon’ is deeply rooted in the culture of Cabugao, a barangay in the town of Bato, Catanduanes.

Designer honors hometown, farmers with gown made of abaca

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Designer honors hometown, farmers with gown made of abaca

ABS-CBN News Intern,

Alyssa Lita

Published Jul 23, 2024 05:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Catanduanes

Bato

Abaca

Fashion

Filipiniana

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