Pinagayon

It was early last year when Charette, one of my closest friends since puberty, called and asked me to join a fashion show. The last time I joined a full blown show was back in college and I will not admit here how many years ago that was. I was hesitant at first since making clothes for a show is not an easy feat. Entails so much work and the pressure to come up with fabulous gowns just for show is something I do not look forward to, I have that every week, from real brides and for real weddings. I've always felt, and I still do, that the aisle is my catwalk. And my brides, my muse doing my finale.:)

Charette is the only reason I am joining.

I had to find a reason to say no without her cancelling my being her matron of honor at her wedding. But she enticed me more since she said I will only be working with Piña. She knows how much I love the fabric. But then again, I work with it on a regular basis, and gets paid for it pa! Nope, still not it :)

She went on saying that I will be working with Piña woven from Camarines Norte.

Okay.....

Piña has always been synonymous to Aklan so I was surprised when I found out that Camarines Norte is producing the fabric too. I suddenly felt dumb when I found out that Camarines Norte has huge pineapple plantations everywhere and its climate and location is ideal for producing Pineapple. It has one of the most efficient cooperative in producing the fabric, they make it so well, but they just do not know how to market themselves. Charette showed me the material and I must admit, it is beautiful. The yarn has that fresh golden tint and the weaving had that organic nature to it. It was in that perfect quality, just like oldies used to make. It is luxurious and simply beautiful. Sad that their weaving industry is still unrecognized, so many people are left jobless and Camarines Norte still one of the poorest provinces in the country. If only people can be aware of their existence, demand and sales will increase, lives will be better.

Now do I want to be part of it?

How can I say no? :-)

Here are the wedding gowns I made for the Pinagayon Fashion Forecast 2010 that hopefully will encourage brides to look at Piña in a different light - soft and feminine. I dream of that day when brides will feel giddy and priviledged at the thought of wearing one :-)

Now here's the catch, if you need Piña from Camarines Norte, whether the fruit or the fabric, please get in touch with my friend - Charette Regala 09088942215 :-)
Let us support our local weavers :-)