UP CLOSE. 14th Likhang Habi Fair Market celebrates Filipino heritage

PTVPhilippines

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00:00HABI is a visionary initiative that breathes life into Filipino heritage, merging tradition with innovation.

00:07Imagine a future where rich traditions inspire contemporary design, captivating audiences both locally and globally.

00:15HABI champions this creative journey, ensuring the beauty of Filipino heritage thrives in every crafted piece.

00:22This effort not only preserves culture but also celebrates its evolutions for generations to come.

00:31And to help us better understand what this initiative is all about, we have with us tonight Twinkle Ferrarin and Paolo Palanca,

00:39two of the featured vendors in the upcoming 14th Lekang HABI Fair Market.

00:43Good evening, Twinkle.

00:45Good evening.

00:46And good evening, Paolo. Thank you so much for coming to PTV News tonight and up close.

00:50Thank you for having us.

00:51Great. I'm really excited to get to know you guys and what you're all about and these amazing products that you've displayed for us.

00:57But first of all, before we get started in talking about what the Lekang HABI Fair is all about,

01:01please tell us a little bit about yourself, your products, and what you're all about.

01:06Let's start with you, Twinkle.

01:07I'm Twinkle Ferrarin and I'm a designer and it was my wanting to learn about my heritage that led me on this journey.

01:14So I have my bespoke label, Twinkle Ferrarin, and I also have another brand called Style Isle,

01:20where we highlight more the artistry of the indigenous communities around the Philippines.

01:26So you have two labels, Twinkle Ferrarin and Style Isle.

01:29Yes.

01:30Okay. So tell us about some of the things that you've displayed in front of us.

01:34So what we have here is our signature upcycled earrings.

01:38So because we make a lot of clothing, we don't throw any of the excess fabrics away.

01:42Instead, we think of new ways of working with it.

01:45Because you know, once you see how a weave is done, every inch is precious.

01:51So for us, instead of throwing it away, we think of like we make it into new shapes,

01:56we make it into earrings, bag charms, accessories.

02:00So that's what we have here.

02:02And do I talk about that?

02:04Yeah, sure.

02:05And also in the fair, we're going to have a weave workshop.

02:08So it's to teach people the basics of weaving.

02:11But this time, we're using all Philippine natural fibers.

02:15Okay. So let me get this straight.

02:16So you have here under the label Style Isle.

02:19So it's a conglomeration of different artisans that have gotten together under this brand, correct?

02:25Yes.

02:26Okay. And you also have your own bespoke label, which is Twinkle Ferrarin,

02:29which is more on textiles and garments.

02:32Fashion.

02:33Fashion. Okay. Great. Let's move on with you, Paulo.

02:36Thank you very much. So my name is Paulo Palanca.

02:39We started out as a school project, actually.

02:41So I was pursuing a minor in sociology.

02:43And for the last class for that minor, we had to research and do documentation on the history of Philippine jewelry.

02:50From that, we were introduced to some of the last practicing master craftsmen.

02:54So our professor was the one who's worked with this craftsman and his family before.

02:58And because of the history of that craft, it's known as filigree tambourine jewelry,

03:02it became a dying craft over many years.

03:04And our professor's task for our group was to help save it.

03:07So we had to do research. We had to do documentation.

03:10We had to meet the craftsmen and ask them, how was it made?

03:13What's the significance of it to your family and to the community that you're in?

03:16And we were very surprised when we first met the craftsman.

03:19We had all of that in mind, the whole academic aspect.

03:21But then when we started doing the interviews, he showed us one of the pieces that he still had,

03:25that he hadn't sold for many years.

03:27And we were amazed at how beautiful the pieces were.

03:29So some of the pieces that he brought with us here today, we were very impressed with how fine the designs were,

03:35how everything is really handcrafted.

03:37So it takes days, sometimes even weeks to make.

03:39And it's all made with the traditional gold and silver materials

03:42that they've been doing for four generations in their family.

03:45So from that, from the research project, we were really happy with working with the craftsmen.

03:50So we proposed to them that, hey, we should partner up, we should continue,

03:53we should invest in this because we really don't want to see this dying craft really leave the Philippines

03:57because it's such a beautiful thing that we had no idea that existed.

04:01And from that, we continued working with them beyond just the research and documentation project.

04:05We partnered with them to really invest in this craft and help bring it back.

04:09Okay. Just for the benefit of those that don't really know what filigree tambourine jewelry is,

04:14can you explain to us?

04:16So this is it right here, right?

04:17Yes.

04:18So it's, in essence, metalwork?

04:19Yes.

04:20Please tell us about it.

04:21So it's gold and silver.

04:22So filigree is the art of wire work or weaving gold and silver.

04:26So it's also known as woven gold, which is something very unique about it

04:29because normally when you think of gold, you think of like labars or like an ingot of gold.

04:33It's not really something you think about weaving.

04:35But woven gold is something that they use the pure gold,

04:39they turn it into a wire by making it flatter and flatter and then cutting it into strips.

04:43And then that woven gold is then turned into different designs

04:47with different techniques that the craftsmen have passed on in their family for many generations.

04:52So these are just examples of the world-class artistry of products

04:56that we can get to see in the upcoming Lekang Happy Fair.

05:00So we'd like for you to tell us a little bit more about the significance of the market fair

05:07in promoting the Philippine textiles, garments, and basically Philippine creations.

05:12Twinkle.

05:13So this is the 14th Lekang Happy Market Fair.

05:17I literally remember attending the first one when there was just 10 vendors,

05:23and now there's like over 100.

05:26There's 90 vendors with 100 booths.

05:28So for this year, I think it's important that there's a platform where stuff like this gets showcased

05:35and where people can have access to see the beautiful artistry of our country.

05:42And I think it's important to note that it's not just, you know,

05:46when they say it was started by the Philippine textile group, it's not just textiles.

05:51We're also going to see, as you mentioned, jewelry.

05:53You have up-cycled amazing products, and we also have home decor and...

05:57Basketry.

05:58Yeah, basketry.

05:59And pottery also.

06:00And pottery.

06:01Okay, so we have a whole variety of Philippine creations that are world-class design as well.

06:06Can you elaborate on the theme of the 14th Lekang Happy Fair,

06:11which is Earth to Loom Celebrating Natural Dyes and Philippine Textiles?

06:15And of course, what is its prime importance in today's market?

06:20Paolo.

06:21Yes, so the theme this year is Earth to Loom Celebrating Natural Dyes and Textiles.

06:26It really wanted to highlight the importance not just of the process of using natural dyes,

06:31but also the importance of it because it's something that also focuses on environmentally friendly practices,

06:36on sustainability.

06:38It's not just focused on making sure that everyone has to be this 100% right away,

06:43but it's just more of highlighting the importance that this is something we want to promote,

06:48get people to be more aware of the importance of being more environmentally friendly,

06:52having the long-term perspective more in mind.

06:55Okay, so I think it's important to note that we're not just looking at a combination of talent,

07:01but we're also looking at bringing this tradition to the forefront,

07:04to be able to excite a newer generation that we have amazing products in this country,

07:10and this is what we have up for grabs.

07:13Let's patronize what we have in this country and show it.

07:17But, of course, to start it off, how does this fair and market facilitate connections

07:24between artists and artisans like yourself, entrepreneurs, and potential customers or collaborators?

07:30What do you think is so important about the crucialness of this Happy Fair?

07:36I think it's important that there's this platform and you have a lot of like-minded people

07:42who come to this event, so you see your fellow, you see your tribe,

07:47you see your fellow textile lovers, artisan lovers, art lovers, and everybody gathers together.

07:53And it's nice because every fair, everyone learns more and more from each other

07:59and from the guests that come.

08:01And we've also noticed how a lot of foreign and international guests also have been attending Happy Fair,

08:08so it's exciting.

08:10Yeah, if I can add to that.

08:12Yeah, sure, go ahead.

08:13So it's one of the really great experiences with the Happy Fair is how it really brings people together.

08:18You really become friends with each other.

08:19I'm, for example, wearing Twinkle's, this is hers.

08:22Very nice, very dapper.

08:24So they mix two different things together and I love how it looks.

08:27Thank you very much.

08:29And it also helps build communities in terms of the people from the different provinces

08:34because you all come together, you all come to one fair, and you all get to talk to each other.

08:38So we also got to meet people from other communities that do similar things to what we do

08:42and be able to trade notes, trade insights, talk about design aspects, different motifs.

08:47So it's really nice that people were able to have that exchange of ideas

08:50and that's thanks to the platform that Happy provides.

08:53Okay, so earlier, Twinkle, you mentioned that you'll be actually going through a weaving workshop.

09:00But apart from that, what other workshops or demonstrations are related to natural dyes

09:06or I would say the arts and I would say the craftsmanship that we are also going to see in this fair

09:15that attendees can look forward to at the fair?

09:17Because I myself, for example, would love to learn all about this.

09:21Twinkle?

09:22There's a partnership with Fashion Revolution Philippines and they gathered several artisans

09:27who are going to be doing workshops like botanical dyeing, so dyeing with flowers.

09:32There's a visible mending workshop, embroidery.

09:35There's going to be pottery.

09:37There's going to be a talk about natural dye by Kat Palasi.

09:41Edgar Cornito, who's going to do some painting on abaca.

09:45Carlo Elisario from Aklan, who's also going to show us something about natural dyes.

09:51There's also going to be the abaca weaving competition and the piña weaving competition.

09:55So that's another initiative of HABI that's also been very successful.

09:59They really look for different weavers around the country with different materials

10:03to help promote not just the brands but the weavers themselves.

10:06So it's really an empowerment initiative.

10:08Okay, so we're talking about preserving, promoting, enhancing Philippine creations in general.

10:17It's a massive, I would say, genius artistry of world-class proportions.

10:21But apart from this venue and the platform to collaborate with different artisans and entrepreneurs

10:28such as yourself, what kind of impact do you hope that this fair will have on, I would say,

10:33grassroots weavers and their journey towards becoming entrepreneurs as well?

10:39Twinkle?

10:41Yeah, so I want to share that actually HABI is sponsoring three weavers from around the Philippines

10:47to be able to attend the fair for the first time.

10:50I think that's really exciting so that they get to see firsthand what it takes to meet the clients,

10:57to see what people like, what people would buy.

11:00And it's good because then they get to preserve their traditional techniques,

11:05which is very, very important.

11:08I think that's part of our cultural treasure and heritage.

11:12I think, yeah.

11:13Just because in our own experience also, making the craft or making the products are one thing

11:18and then seeing people really appreciate it.

11:20I think it's the rest of the puzzle.

11:22You really feel the fulfillment, you really feel the empowerment,

11:24you really feel proud of what you're doing, which is very nice, very positive.

11:30Yeah.

11:31Well, you guys are going to see one familiar face.

11:34Apart from the many in the HABI Fair, I'm definitely going to be there.

11:37Well, and Paolo, please invite everybody and our viewers to join you at the upcoming Lekhang HABI Market.

11:42Go ahead.

11:43All right.

11:44So...

11:45Hi, everybody.

11:46We hope to see you in the Lekhang HABI Market Fair.

11:49It's going to be in Glorieta Activity Center and Palm Jive Activity Center from October 18 to 20.

11:54That's Friday to Sunday.

11:55Yeah.

11:56Mall hours.

11:57Mall hours.

11:58Hope to see you there.

11:59And you can check the Instagram for the schedule of the activities.

12:04Yes.

12:05Thank you, guys, so much for your time, for sharing with you this wonderful artistry, and for your insights.

12:10Thank you so much, Twinkle Ferrarin and Paolo Palanca.

12:12Thank you, Ms. Charms.

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