Designer Jor-El Espina showcased his latest collection, “Heirloom,” at the Makati Shangri-La last July 15. The collection was a collaboration with — and inspired by — the grand dame of Philippine fashion Patis Tesoro, known for her signature Filipino Bohemian style.
The collection came to life when Espina paid a visit to Tesoro’s atelier in San Pablo, Laguna, a meeting arranged by the women behind ArteFino, where the collection will be showcased.
“I’ve admired her work even before,” Jor-El said.
Patis is also an avid champion of using local textile, particularly piña (pineapple), which has become synonymous with her aesthetic. Some of the fabric Jor-El used in his collection is from Tesoro’s personal collection.
“The inspiration for all of this is Patis Tesoro. I studied her techniques. I read her book, ‘Filipina is Forever’ and it is really inspiring,” Jor-El said. “95% of the fabric used in the collection is made of piña from Aklan. Using piña is quite challenging because the fabric is very fragile, but it’s very pretty.”
The result is a variety of modern silhouettes constructed with traditional fabric played out in pops of patterns and color as fun and wearable art. The pieces are bold, intricate, and clearly Filipiniana.
ArteFino runs from July 31 to August 3 at The Fifth Rockwell
