Innehållsförteckning för May 2024 från VOGUE PHILIPPINES

Imagine discovering Mindanao by way of sound. In our memories of Lake Sebu, there was the tin swirling in the brass hollow of a Kulintang. There were bamboo flutes that mimicked birdsong, against the measured beats throbbing on goat skin drums and the tinkle from the bells on Tboli belts that swayed with its wearer's hips. Rosie Sula, a National Living Treasure for Epic Chanting, received us with an aching, haunting aural welcome. We, the visual, who trade in images and words, were suddenly cast unto a different sensory island. Rosie's voice was pierced with emotion, full of sentiment whose meaning we could not accurately distinguish. She sang in waves, and we were absorbed. Respectfully, we sat, awash in song, immersed in the joy of being lost in translation. Read…

ACROSS CULTURES AND BEYOND BORDERS, JEWELRY CONTINUES TO STAND AS A UNIVERSAL FORM OF ADORNMENT. It not only serves as an extension of one's style, but as an actor that plays a versatile number of roles per occasion; from engagements and weddings to birthdays and anniversaries, these accessories have the capacity to represent love, celebrate milestones, and commemorate different memories. Selecting the right jewelry is often dictated by specific occasions. For example, formal events such as galas or balls often keep jewelry choices understated and elegant, while a casual night out allows for louder statement pieces to be worn throughout the evening. As a jewelry-maker, Eirin Jewelry balances the versatility of each accessory through its design language, focusing on a more minimalist approach to each collection. Despite the simplicity of…

FEATURE THE FIRST TIME THAT MOST OF THE COUNTRY TOOK NOTICE OF KZ TANDINGAN, she shared the story of losing her voice and then finding it. It was more than a decade ago, on one of the audition stops of the first season of the now defunct show X-Factor Philippines. She just turned 20, and tended toward pairing comfortable-looking kicks and dresses with her wild and wavy hair. In the video packet that prefaced her time on stage, she spoke of suddenly not being able to hit the notes she used to in high school, prompting a change of track. “Meron akong style ngayon na hindi ko naman talaga alam yung exact name ng genre,” she said then. “I make it a point that pag kinanta ko, people will remember…

FEATURE The chanting, as all Tboli chants do, begin with a powerful and startling “HEDEEE EHE EEEE.” It is a call that summons the singer's spirit guide, the helper who will lead her into song. The spirit guide is the song, and without it the singer would be at a loss for words, unable to find a tune. The spirit guide's music must be followed. For Rosie Godwino Sula, the Tboli artist from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato who was in December 2023 named a National Living Treasure for chanting, it is the Holy Spirit who heeds her call. “The Holy Spirit dictates to my mind, my mouth, and my heart so the perfect words come out,” she says. You may have already heard her singing—hers is the voice that introduces…

JAGGY GLARINO'S GARMENTS, WOVEN WITH PERSONAL STORIES, ENCOURAGES WEARERS TO RECONSIDER WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FILIPINO, to be masculine, and to be true to oneself. “I grew up with such a masculine background,” the designer reflects on his upbringing in General Santos, a city in southern Mindanao, etched into the Filipino consciousness for its boxing heritage. “My dad is actually a boxer. It was an interesting contrast—between my mom taking me to the local parlor and my dad taking me to boxing training.” This duality profoundly influences Glarino's designs. Through his garments, he questions traditional notions of masculinity, offering a glimpse into the complexities of his personal identity and expression. They beg you to consider whether the dichotomy between menswear and womenswear should persist at all. “Femininity and masculinity…

THE LOOK By NEIL DE GUZMAN Photographs by DIEGO LORENZO JOSE Styling by CARLOS MANGUBAT PAGE 24 TEAM CREDITS: Makeup: Kristyan Hearts Low of DLM. Hair: Koh of Viven's Creative. Model: Natasha of The Scouted (PH). Props: Joselle Faustino-Castañer of Jos Curates (PH). Photographer's Assistant: Aiden Green. Stylist's Assistant: Kellee Merriman, Grace Hargan, Greta Magistrale, Pia Mazza. RING OF FIRE Photographs by ARTU NEPOMUCENO Styling and Direction by MEG MANZANO PAGE 38 TEAM CREDITS: Hair: Mong Amado. Model: Siobhan Moylan. Photographer's Assistant: Choi Narciso, Ignacio Gador, Rojan Maguyon. Hair and Stylist's Assistant: Rojan Maguyon. TOMORROWLAND Photographs by BORGY ANGELES Fashion Director PAM QUIÑONES PAGE 44 TEAM CREDITS: Makeup: Bea Mocorro. Hair: Mong Amado. Models: Ida Lago, Jady Agonia, Jana Herrera, Paige Perrine, Queenie Tao, Steph Mashima. Producer: Anz Hizon. Photographer's…

LEN CABILI Designer, BRINGING IT HOME “Culture is our fingerprint. It is our story and what defines us as a people, as a nation. I look forward to seeing the expression of our culture as soft power for the Philippines.” IVAN LOPEZ Hair Stylist, SOUTHERN SYMPHONY “What inspires me the most about the future of my culture is that now we, our art, and our stories are slowly being recognized and discovered. This fuels my creativity in showcasing how rich our culture is, even if it's just through the art of hairstyling.” MARRIAN CHING Writer, MOVEMAKER “Communities—not individuals—sustain cultures, which means cultures evolve through collective action. The future I imagine carries a promise of change fulfilled only through our shared struggle of learning and unlearning, and it inspires me as…

AALIYAH BUNYI AND YOUNGER SISTER FATIHA WEREN'T ALWAYS INTERESTED IN HIP-HOP. “When we were young, we weren't really intrigued yet as much as we are today,” Aaliyah says. “I think we always took the presence of hip-hop in our home for granted [because] it was always there.” Today, the genre looks quite natural for the siblings. As part of the Zamboanga-based record label and music collective Morobeats, Aaliyah and Fatiha, known as the musical artists Miss A and Fateeha, respectively, are making waves inside and outside of the country. Having been raised by Morobeats founder DJ Medmessiah, hip-hop was just something that they grew up with. “[He] would just play [songs] every day,” Miss A recalls. “I even remember, he had a phase where he was just so addicted to…

BUNDOS BANSIL FAR A'S WORKSHOP, found on one side of the main highway in Lake Sebu, has only a weathered tarp announcing “Brass Casting Center” to indicate his business, but you might spot Fara's youngest son Jayson at the counter, carving up a wax mold of a mythological creature. Stacks of polished bangles and beaded gong necklaces are on display for souvenir hunters. You'll find that they are, by any means, priced inexpensively, especially once you discover the laborious process involved in making one brass ring. Fara is one of the three Tboli artists who were recognized as Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) or National Living Treasures in December 2023. The award is given to Filipinos whose “distinctive skills have reached such a high level of technical and artistic excellence and…

FOR COUTURIER AOUI REGALA, EVERY WEDDING DRESS SHE CREATES IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE WOMEN WHO WEAR THEM, as well as a reflection of her own life story. “I started sketching when I was 7 yrs old, and I knew back then that this was what I really wanted to do,” she says. However, despite this calling, Regala initially veered away from her passions as a creative, and took a path that was predestined to her by her family. This led her toward the University of Santo Tomas, where she took up a degree in advertising at the request of her father, who disapproved of her pursuit of fashion at the time. Unbeknown to her, it was through this redirection that strengthened her conviction toward becoming a designer, as a…

In the way Felip moves his body, there is a gracefulness to his hands as he transitions from one pose to another. He knows how to shift within a frame, making interesting shapes, without strain or awkwardness. He is confident in his skin, assured in his stance, and occupies space with a presence that is felt even in silence. Felip takes pride in calling himself a music artist. He writes lyrics in English, Bisaya, and Tagalog, sometimes all three languages in one song. “Music speaks to your soul,” he says “You don't need to try so hard to understand music as much as you need to feel it. I have come to accept that I will not understand every bit of it because there is no exact, all-encompassing theory that…

DESIGNER PROFILE LEN CABILI WAS ONLY FOUR WHEN SHE PUT ON HER FIRST BARO'T SAYA. The blouse and skirt is traditionally made with pineapple fiber, but Len's was cut from another material completely: fabric in the print of their living room couch. Her mother had the clothes made for Len, her sisters, and their grandmother, and Len recalls how it was obvious that the cloth was only left over. One of them would have the top and skirt in the material, while the other would only have the skirt or the bandana. The Cabili household, at least the one Len grew up in, was almost never empty. Because her father was formerly city mayor, there was a constant flow of guests from the Maranao and Higaonon, indigenous communities, who, at…

SHOPPING IN OUR SUN DRENCHED COUNTRY, HEALTH Y, PROTECTED SKIN begins with one non-negotiable step: sunscreen. The skincare mantra is clear: apply broad-spectrum SPF 30 daily and reapply every two hours. But what exactly do these guidelines mean? Whether you're embracing the scorching sun or staying cool indoors, understanding SPF is paramount. SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is your shield against cancer-causing UV radiation, premature fine lines, wrinkles, and skin discoloration. It quantifies how much longer you can stay in the sun without damage as opposed to if you had no defense against the sun at all. For example, SPF30 extends your protected time by 30, while SPF15 by 15. While it may seem logical that a higher SPF number is always better, it's crucial to consider the type of…

NEAL OSHIMA AND MARK NICDAO CAN'T STOP LAUGHING. Sat in the warmly lit space of the Benjarong Bar in Davao, there was more to their celebratory drinks than wrapping up their latest shoot. “Vogue was crazy enough to put us together,” Oshima said, much to the amusement of Nicdao. The two photographers are behind some of the essential Philippine fashion imagery of the last decades. They had worked together before, but this beauty story for Vogue Philippines marks their first collaboration in editorial. “I think this is my 22nd year as a photographer,” Nicdao said. “And for me to actually help out in a shoot with Neal, it turned out we were just gonna be like-” “Yelling,” Oshima quips. Nicdao laughs, “Yeah, jamming [through] the photographs. But [also] doing something…

FEATURE LOCAL TOUR GUIDES SAY THAT IF YOU TAKE A SATELLITE IMAGE OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO AT NIGHT, YOU'LL SPOT THE ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA, the coast of Basilan further down south, and in between, an island made up of lights. Scattered across the port of Varadero de Cawit, a fleet of large ships and smaller trawlers switch on their lights to guide their path in the dark sea. For many of these fishing vessels, the day begins just when the sun is about to set as it's easier to catch fish when they're not under the sweltering sun. Fisheries is the lifeblood of the seaside city, naturally. The ports have shaped Zamboanga's culture and people across centuries. These hotspots for commerce have brought home a colorful cuisine that marries seafood, spices, and…

FEATURE MINDANAO RESTS ON THE SULU ARCHIPELAGO OFF SOUTHWESTERN PHILIPPINES, cocooned by the Celebes and Sulu seas. The island chain comprises a serpentine arc around the country's southernmost tip and is home to the 13 Muslim-majority ethnolinguistic Austronesian group known as the Bangsamoro or the Moro people. While the Moro people are dispersed across the entirety of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago in particular is the ancestral domain of the Tausug, whose name means “people of the current.” The transitory nature of being a culture at the mercy of the seas lends a sense of determinism to the Tausug people. At least that much is clear in veteran producer, rapper, and founder of music collective and independent label Morobeats, DJ Medmessiah. “In Mindanao, by heart, we believe we are Moros, and…